Gift of Magic
by xxLunaTerraxx
Summary: After being thrown form the Dark Castle, Belle finds out she's pregnant after one night of passion with Rumpelstiltskin. How will she survive without him?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Gift of Magic

**Authors Note: **A plot bunny was waiting for me this morning at breakfast and refused to leave me alone till I satisfied it. Unfortunately I found out, only after I fed it mind you, it was a multi-chapter one and it laughed as I screamed and shook my fist at the heavens lol

Okay, so I am obsessed with this pairing. Absolutely, without a doubt, one-hundred percent obsessed; I've watched Skin Deep 10 times already O.O Beauty and Beast was always my second favorite Disney stories, and OUAT did nothing but strengthen that favoritism and bump its behind up to #1 (sorry Lion King!). It truly expresses what love should really be, an attraction to someone for what's under their skin. As Belle (Emilie de Ravin) said: love is layered, a mystery to be uncovered :)

Like I said, this will be a multi-chapter ficlet and this is also my first Rumbelle ^_^

Reviews and general comments welcomed and loved!

**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to their respected parties (abc, Disney etc.) but, sadly, not to me. Though why I never thought of something like OUAT I will never know lol

**Chapter One**

"_Go."_

"_Go?"_

"_I don't want you anymore."_

"_You are freeing yourself! You could have had happiness if you just believed that someone could want you!"_

"_That's a lie._

"_You are a coward Rumpelstiltskin. And no matter how thick you make your skin, that doesn't change."_

"_I'm not a coward dearie. It's quite simple, really. My power means more to me than you."_

"_No, no it doesn't. You just don't think I can love you...and now you've made your choice. And you're going to regret it, forever."_

The last conversation that Belle had with Rumpelstiltskin continued to echo in her head long after she had left the Dark Castle. Even the roar of drunken tavern conversations couldn't dull out the memory of him throwing her out like a child would with a toy he was no longer interested in. Belle's stomach lurched at that last thought. Maybe that's all she was to him from the beginning...a toy, a plaything that he had got his fill from.

Belle shook her head. No, no he loved her. She could see in in his eyes when he saw that she had come back to the castle after he had let her go into town. He was just a stubborn old fool, afraid of what true love and happiness could bring him. None of it helped her feel any better as each one of his words still felt like a stab to her heart.

Even if she hadn't loved him, she still would of returned. After all, the Dark Castle was her home, more of a home than her previous one was. At her father's castle, she was nothing but an object, a pretty face. Granted, her father loved her very much – and she loved him – but that didn't change the fact that she was still just an instrument. Her engagement to Gaston was nothing but an arraignment for more land and influences. There was never any love between her and Gaston. All he saw when he looked at her was a pretty form; a form made for only for bodily desires. And all she saw was a superficial, shell of a man who wouldn't know the butt end of a sword from the sharp end.

With Rumpelstiltskin it was much different. He saw and appreciated her beauty, yes, but he also found excitement with her intellect and sharp wit as well. He would encourage her to expand her mind –the library he gave her was proof enough for that– not try and snuff it out with talks of how a woman with brains would produce nothing but prattle, a danger for a man's ear. He would engage her in conversations, go out of his way to do so at times, and not do everything in his power to avoid them and her. She could tell from the start that Rumpelstiltskin was different from any other man. He was wise in the way of the world and she found conversation with him to be quite mentally stimulating. She craved his company, his mind, the many layers that were _Rumpelstiltskin. _

And yet, here she sat. Alone and a little tipsy for that matter. She had ordered one of the taverns strongest ale in hopes of drowning out the voices in her head. So far however, all she had succeeded in doing was giving herself one heck of an headache. The pain in her head was welcomed though as it seemed to help her forget the pain she felt in her heart; well, almost anyway.

Belle began staring into the contents of her mug, wishing there was a way she could just drown herself in the dark liquid swirling before her. It seemed that those types of thoughts were plaguing her mind ever since she had lost her only chance at true love. It scared her and she wanted nothing more to find some sort of peace from them. Lifting her gaze, she thought that maybe she'd find the distraction she needed somewhere around her.

Her gaze soon drifted over to the long table situated right next to hers. It was occupied by a group of dwarfs, about eight of them to be exact. Each of them looked like they were having the time of their lives, laughing and teasing one another. It wasn't until her line of sight made its way down to the end closest to her, did she notice that not all the occupants were in such high spirits.

One of the dwarfs has purposely set himself apart of the rest. He seemed to be staring off into nothingness just as Belle had been doing only moments ago. Occasionally though, he would turn his attention to his friends and send them a forced smile and slight nod, before turning back and getting lost in his thoughts again.

An elder dwarf, one she hadn't noticed before, suddenly came down and sat himself right across from his brooding comrade. He had a look of deep concern etched in his features as he addressed his friend.

"What's the matter? You barely touched your food?"

Belle watched as the target of her interest heaved a deep sigh before tearing his gaze from the wall to focus on his friend. "I don't know. I can't eat, I can't sleep...I don't feel at all like myself."

Belle couldn't help the small twitch her lips gave as she listened in on their conversation. She knew _**exactly**_ what was wrong him. In all the history of the land, there was only one illness, one disease that could cause those kind of symptoms.

"I wouldn't worry about it, dwarfs don't get sick. Must be in your head."

She knew she shouldn't intrude, but something inside of her just couldn't help itself, "It's not in his head, it's in his heart."

Belle watched as both dwarfs turned and looked at her, expressions of confusion on both of their faces. She found their befuddlement slightly amusing and came to the conclusion she was going to have to be more straight with them.

"You're in love."

The younger looking dwarf continued to look baffled, but the elder soon expressed nothing short of rejection for the idea, ranting something about dwarfs not being able to love. Belle had to use every ounce of her inner strength to keep herself from being disrespectful and rolling her eyes. Honestly, saying someone couldn't fall in love. If anything, **_that_ **idea was utter ludicrous. Besides, if anyone knew love, she did, and the dwarf in front of her had fallen...hard.

At this point, the elder dwarf had thrown up his hands in disgust and made his way back to the head of the table, leaving the two of them to their conversation. She watched as her new companion turned his attention fully on her, his eyes wide with curiosity. "What's it like?!"

For the first time in days, a full on smile graced Belle's features. Such a simple question, yet such a difficult answer. How did one describe love? She wasn't quite sure if her explanation would do such a sacred feeling justice but, for his sake, she would do her best.

"Love is the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world. Love is...love is hope, it fuels our dreams."

Belle watched as deep amazement took hold of the man in front of her. It pleased her to see him realizing that he could love, that love knew no boundaries. It was at that moment that she decided she never wanted to see someone in the situation she was currently in. She never wanted someone to experience the soul searing pain that, no matter what she did or where she went, she just couldn't get rid of. She decided that she would give him the best advice she had ever given anyone.

"And if you're in it, you need to enjoy it. Love doesn't always last forever," she did her best to focus her entire attention on the dwarf's face, her eyes piercing into his own, "you _**need**_ to be with the person you love."

She didn't think it was possible, but his eyes grew to even larger proportions. "You really think so?"

A tight constricting sensation suddenly filled her chest and made it almost impossible to breath. She tried to ignore the twisting sensation resonating deep within her heart. Belle did her best not to show her discomfort, though she couldn't keep the slight crack out of her voice as she answered.

"I've had my heart broken enough to know when someone is reaching out."

The smile the young dwarf was sporting certainly was infectious because Belle soon felt her negative emotions ebbing away just as quickly as they came. She return his smile before, once again, insisting that he go to her; to find his love, his hopes and his dreams.

###

A few moments later, Belle watched as her new friend –she had found out his name, Dreamy, at the last second– left with his brothers, a look of new found determination on his face. Belle couldn't help but share his feelings of triumph while they were together but, now that she was by herself, she felt even more alone than before their conversation. How she wished she could just close her eyes and be back at the Dark Castle. She missed her books, she missed her room –Rumpelstiltskin had moved her out of the dungeons a few weeks after her arrival– heck, she even missed her daily chores of the place. But most of all, more than any of those things combined, she missed him. She missed the way he would giggle when he became overly excited, missed the way he would watch her with such curiosity while she worked. She missed the subtle glances, touches and words of gratitude he would throw her way.

Belle could feel as hot tears began clouding up her eyesight. If there was just some way she could turn the clock back. To actually go back and think about what she was about to do as she burst through the castle doors shortly after her talk with the mysterious woman she met on the road. She should never have sprung that kiss on him like that on him. She couldn't help but think that maybe, if she had instead _**talked** _with him about it, things would of turned out a lot differently.

She quickly wiped away the tears that threatened to fall and reached into her dress pocket and deposited a piece of gold thread onto the table. She had just enough sense about her before she stormed out of the Dark Castle to grab a few strands from the pile next to the spinning wheel. During that time, she honestly didn't care if Rumpelstiltskin had seen her take from him. She felt it was the least he could do, letting her have some way to survive, after ripping her heart out and stomping on it with his finely polished boots. Belle had actually spent most of it here at the tavern and at the inn situated right above it. She was running quite low however, and knew she would need another plan very soon.

Right now though, she could care less about money, food or having a warm place to sleep. As she climbed the stairs that led to her room, she wanted nothing more than strangle the man who had made her fall in love with him. She also wanted him to hold her in his arms, tell her everything was going to be alright and to have him say those three words she longed to hear: I love you. And as she sunk into her sub-par bed, letting her tears fall freely, she wrapped herself around her pillow and pretended she was experiencing just that.

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So much angst in this chapter! Ahh! DX lol I would say it'll let up buuuuut I'm thinking that might be a lie ^^;;

Again, love comments and reviews!


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note:** Fair warning, but this chapter is looooooooooooong. O.O I would advise making sure you have a good amount of time on your hands before reading. I tried to figure out a way to cut it but making the the dream sequence onward would of made the third chapter too short. Also, and taking it on to chapter 3 might create something just as long, plus it would end up not flowing exactly how I want it to. So I said fuck it lol Just in case it isn't obvious, when the text switches to italics, its a dream sequence. :)

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own this bitch. Maybe in an alternate universe, but not here *is sad*

**Chapter Two**

Belle was currently kneeling next to one of the many streams that flowed though the Enchanted Forest. She marveled at just how pure the water was. She would of thought it be tainted with the dirt that cascaded from the hillside or with grime from the many travelers that, she was sure, came trudging though here. As she dipped her cupped hands into the rushing waters though, she was sure she would of partaken even if it was tainted; anything was better than the taste currently swirling around in her mouth.

For the past week, Belle had seemingly been battling some kind of illness. It was nothing too major, just the occasional fatigue and regurgitation, something she had just partaken in only moments before. Belle really didn't understand it though. Before she had left the Dark Castle, she was healthier than the flowers after a spring rain. Now she had to use everything in her power to keep her food down and her body going.

After swishing the water she was so grateful for around in her mouth, Belle turned her head and spit onto the rocks beside her. Part of her felt very uncomfortable doing something so unladylike, but the other half couldn't give a damn. Even if the king of this realm came upon her right now, she would nod in respect, yes, but continue on with what she was doing without a second thought.

Belle found herself really appreciating who she really was since her stay with Rumpelstiltskin. She had always been told it was important for a lady to always save face. To be polite, meek and only be concerned with her husbands demands and desires. She was constantly reprimanded for speaking her mind and having her head in the clouds. Could she help it if she wanted more out of life? To see the world and to display acts of valor as good as any man. Staying with Rumpelstiltskin really had changed her. She still minded her manners, but she'd be damned if she was ever going to act how others thought she should ever again.

Once Belle was sure that the bile taste had vacated her mouth entirely, she gracefully stood back up and began making her way back toward the forest. She made sure to grab the green and yellow travel cloak Rumpelstiltskin had made for her, as it helped her blend in so any unwanted passersby had a harder time seeing her. It wasn't that she was now an unsocial girl, but she held no false pretenses. She knew how many people hated Rumpelstiltskin and wanted to avoid any conflict or harm that may befall her if they knew of her relations to him. Plus, if anyone did find her and knew her, they would probably send her back to her father's castle.

And who knew what fate would befall her once she returned, tainted by the beast.

As she wandered through the forest, Belle was trying her best not to trip over any rouge branches or roots –any heeled shoe wasn't exactly the best to trudge through the woods in– but couldn't avoid the barbs that, unfortunately, ripped right through her stockings. Belle cringed as she felt the long jagged cuts that now decorated her lower legs. Reaching down, she felt the raised skin of one wound and the tiny amount of blood that trickled from it.

Looking around for a place to sit, Belle found a moss covered log only a few steps off to her left. Sitting ungracefully upon it, Belle quickly removed her shoes so she could get rid of her ripped stockings. She didn't see the need to keep wearing them now that they were a torn mess. Instead she figured she'd use them as bandages for the particularly deeper cuts Belle cursed her clumsiness as she mended her wounds as best she could and, after wiping off her blood stained fingers on her dress, continued to trudge deeper into the unforgiving wood.

Belle was very much without money at the present time and she really wanted to try and locate the nearest village and find some work. It was hard enough to find work once coming into a town, but walking without any indication of your location or direction was making her goal that much more difficult. She quickly made the decision that a road would be extremely helpful, so she began the somewhat fruitful attempt to find one. She noticed that a thick wall of trees to her left were becoming thinner as they went, so figured her best bet would be to start in that direction.

She began running at this point, desperate to get out of the woods and into some direct sunlight. As she was right on top of her supposed exit however, her footsteps faltered. Anyone could be traveling at this time of day so she needed to make sure the area was clear before she ventured any further. Carefully stepping so as to not disturb anything, Belle made her way behind a unusually small red oak tree, but the ferns that seemed to embrace it provided enough extra cover. Peaking through the foliage, Belle noticed that there, not only _**was **_a road, but a completely deserted one as well.

Belle held her breath as she let a few more moments pass. She wanted to make sure that no one would suddenly come upon her as she exited the safe cover of the trees and brush. Finding the dirt road still bare, Belle quickly untangled herself and, drawing in her cloak for comfort, began briskly walking in the direction she hoped would lead her where she needed to go. She still hovered near the forest's edge however, so if anyone were to come upon her, or she upon them, it would provide her with a quick disappearing act.

A loud cry from a horse alerted her that company was coming up behind her. She swiftly turned and saw a barrage of black stallions and a carriage coming toward her. She knew this was when she should be escaping into the confinement of the woods but, whether it was by fear or magic, she remained rooted to the spot. As the carriage got closer however, a feeling of familiarity began to overtake her, the fear from before melting away like ice under the summer sun.

Belle watched as the carriage came to a halt right in front of her, the guards that flanked either side almost forming a semi-circle around her. Almost as suddenly, the door to said carriage flew open and a young woman's head appeared around it. Belle was suddenly overcome by shock; it was the same woman she met on the road when Rumpelstiltskin sent her to town to retrieve some straw. She was even wearing the same black dress and cloak as before.

"Why hello my dear! I would of never expected to see you out here."

Belle gave her greeter a half-smile. "I never would of expected to see you either."

The woman chuckled and for some reason Belle shivered in response. A thought suddenly flashed through Belle's mind; was this was the person, the Queen, Rumpelstiltskin had gone on about? A small wave of anger washed over her at the thought, but Belle quickly dispersed it.

Almost as if they were playing out their first meeting, Belle found herself being approached and taken on a leisurely walk. She watched as the woman seemed to be taking in her rugged appearance. It wasn't until their gazes met, did she notice a look of concern on the Queen's face.

"You most certainly look a fright dear! What ever happened?"

Belle shifted her eyes "Oh, well, I just got into a little fight with a patch of barbs earlier," Belle couldn't help but laugh. When it came to questions about her coordination, Belle always found provoking laughing blocked her embarrassment at the situation, "Nothing too terrible."

Belle's companion nodded her head knowingly, "Well, there are many monstrous things in these woods, some far more dangerous than mere thorns I assure you," The Queen smirked, stopping in her walking to fully turn to face Belle,"Best be more careful my dear. We wouldn't want anything tragic to happen to you, now would we?"

There was something about her words that made another shiver coarse through Belle and something inside start to panic. Really though, there was no reason for her to be feeling like this. The woman was just showing concern for her safety like any decent person would. And honestly, how could she of known how Rumpelstiltskin was going to react to her kissing him. Belle had an obvious problem –she tended to wear her issues on her sleeve– and was given a plausible solution. Just like now, this woman was only trying to help her. She didn't deserve to be condemned for the actions of someone else so Belle smiled and gave her thanks before they both started on their walk once more.

A stride or two down the road, the Queen all of a sudden gasped, as if an important thought had suddenly entered into her mind. "Oh my, I had almost forgotten...how did everything go with your master? Did you find your true love?"

Belle did her best to not show any discomfort. She must of failed though, because she was met with a very sympathetic face.

"No true love then. I'm so sorry things didn't work out."

"Oh no, it was true love!" Belle stopped short and turned with a look of excitement in her eyes, "I kissed him and the curse _**had**_ begun to weaken!"

The Queen seemed to return her excitement yet it was laced with an air of confusion, "Then why are you all the way out here, all alone, and not off celebrating your happiness?"

Belle's face fell and her gaze drifted to focus on her feet. She bit her lip as she tried to figure out the best way to explain just what had happened. "Well, his reaction to the curse almost being broken wasn't favorable; I had never seen so much anger in his eyes before. It was like...it was like he felt he was being betrayed or something," Belle began slowly walking a few steps ahead as she continued recalling the memories and feelings of that day, "He told me to leave sometime after, that he didn't want me. His eyes were cold, almost empty. I didn't wish to leave, but my own frustration and anger got the better of me. I didn't fight, merely called him a coward and left."

Belle stopped as the memories became almost to much to bare. Underneath her cloak, she wrapped her arms around herself, willing the tears she felt coming to stay down and away. "He said it was because he loved his power more than me, but I know that's a lie. I know he loves me, he's just afraid...afraid of letting his walls down and actually admitting he can be loved." The last part was said in almost a whisper, a few tears escaping to roll down her cheeks and onto the dirt below.

A low chuckle made its way to Belle's ears and cut her like a sword would her skin. Was...was she...was the Queen...laughing? Belle whipped her body around to find out that indeed she was, and was also giving her a smile that made Belle sick to her stomach. Despite all she was presented with, a look of confusion crossed Belle's face. "Why are you laughing?"

The Queen continued to smile as she revealed to Belle the one thing she never thought possible, "Because it's oh so wonderful to have a rendition of something you've already seen played out for you," the Queen's voice got slightly lower, almost mocking, "especially when its filled with such _**love**_and emotion."

Belles' eye's widened. She knew? This woman knew what had transpired between her and Rumpelstiltskin?!

The Queen began making her way over to where Belle stood frozen in shock."You seem confused. Well let me spell it out for you," the Queen had reached the spot right in front of Belle and smirked, "having a magic mirror certainly does have its advantages."An audible gasp escaped Belle's lips as a deep realization suddenly hit her in the gut. The Queens smile grew even larger, "Finally catching on I see. Yes, I can most certainly can observe whatever and _**whoever**_ I want through my mirror, as long as there is another mirror to look out from."

Rumpelstiltskin had all the mirrors covered up, not because he couldn't stand to see how he looked, but so the Queen could keep her dirty little nose out of his business. That's why he started screaming at that one mirror in the dinning hall after she'd kissed him; he was yelling at the woman sitting on the other side of it, her. Belle's eye's suddenly narrowed as she took a tentative step forward.

"You knew. You knew what would happen if I kissed him. You knew that he would think I was working with you, tricking him the whole time just to get rid of his powers!"

The Queen continued to radiate the most horrid of evil, "Knew? My dear," the Queen then leaned forward til her nose was almost touching Belle's, "I was counting on it."

Tears began to fall again, only this time they were tears of anger and frustration. Belle was so flustered, so chocked up, but somehow she was able to get out the one question she needed to know the answer to.

"Why?"

The Queen smiled and leaned in again before she spoke with words that oozed with venom,"Because I _**despise**_ other peoples happiness."

Belle had suddenly come to the conclusion that this woman was beyond any evil she had ever encountered. A darkness, more black and corrupt than Rumpelstiltskin's, had taken root inside this woman and Belle was sure there was barely any hope for her. The woman was teetering on the edge and, if someone didn't pull her back soon, she was going fall and be gone forever.

The Evil Queen's guards had come upon them swiftly, forming a wall between any and all escape routes. The panic that Belle had felt earlier had settled back into her, now tenfold, her head swiveling around trying to find any means of escape.

The Queen laughed long and hard at Belle's obvious discomfort. "Oh you're not going anywhere dear, well, except back to my place. I think there may still be some use to you." Then with one flick of her wrist two of the guards were on her in an instant.

Thankfully Belle remembered how to use her legs again so, at the last second, she was able to run between the two guards and all they were able to get a hold of was her traveling cloak. Knowing she was going to get jerked into their arms otherwise, Belle did one of the most hardest yet necessary moves of her life. Her hands shot up to the ties of her cloak, nimble fingers getting the knot undone at the last second. Leaving the cloak Rumpelstiltskin made her, with that woman, left an even bigger hole in her heart, but it was the only way to save herself; she was sure Rum would understand later when she explained why she didn't have it anymore.

Diving between the trees, Belle began running and weaving her way to safety. Behind her, she could hear the Queen's shouts and the trampling of boots which signaled the guards where not far behind. She had some faith however, that the knowledge she had gained from traversing these woods would aid in her escape. She wasn't an expect, but she was sure she knew more than some guards always locked up in a castle would.

Her suspicions were confirmed when, from behind her, she heard the muffled screams and vile exclamations of her pursuers. Belle couldn't help but laugh even though she was running for her life. When one called this place their home, they found out real quick how unforgiving an enchanted forest could be. Branches that seemed to move on their own, roots that seemed to purposely trip unsuspecting victims and sink holes in places they shouldn't be were only a few of the "traps" in this forest. You could also occasionally come across some of the worst traps if you weren't careful, man-made traps.

Looking behind her, Belle noticed two guards had gotten caught in one of those man-made traps, a spring net fixtured to a tree branch. She continued running for a few meters more and, making sure that no one was following her, finally allowed herself to slow down and catch her breath. Leaning against a moss covered tree, Belle heaved in great gulps of air as she tried to slow her panic stricken heart. Well, she always said she wanted to have adventures however, being chased by an Evil Queen bent on doing who knows what wasn't very high on her list.

A cloud of purple smoke suddenly appeared a few feet before her. She watched as it expanded and exploded, revealing the Evil Queen standing in it wake. Belle gasped and look positively terrified. She never would of thought the Queen to do her dirty work herself; she looked like someone who sent others to perform her tasks.

The Queen gave Belle a malicious smirk as she straightened her clothing, "Oh don't look so surprised dear. While my guards may have a hard time traversing these woods, my magic makes it all too easy for me."

Knowing death could very possibly be staring her in the face, Belle turned tail and ran as fast as she could. She could hear the echo of the Queen's laugh all around her as she did her best to put as much space between the Queen and herself. She was running so fast she almost didn't see the ground end ahead of her and transform into a steep cliff. Carefully peaking over, she noticed a medium sized water fall connected to a fast moving river with a good amount of feet between her and it.

Turning around, she planned on trying out a different route, except she was blocked by a black and heavily armored chest. One of the guards had apparently seen and followed her and was now grabbing her wrist to drag her back though the forest to wherever the Queen lay waiting. Belle screamed, more out of frustration rather than fear, and began digging her fingers into the man's grip, trying to loosen it, but with no avail. It was only when she flung herself away from him, was she able to jerk her wrist from his grip and get free. Unfortunately, she seemed to have overstated her landing. It was almost like she was standing outside of her body, watching, as she fell over the edge of the cliff and plummeted downward.

Above, the guard and the Queen where looking over the edge after her. The Queen almost had a disappointed look on her face as she continued to gaze into the waters below. Her guard turned his head and addressed her once he was sure it was safe to disturb her thoughts.

"Do you want me to send a group down to look for her, your Majesty?"

The corner of the Queen's mouth twitched upward, "It's no matter. No one could of survived that fall, well, no mere human anyway," she then turned and began walking back in the direction of her carriage, "Besides, I still may be able to use this to my advantage."

The guard wasn't quite sure what she meant by that but nodded anyway and swiftly followed his Queen back to her carriage, and back to assisting her in her next scheme. She had mentioned something about retrieving a sleeping curse from an old friend. Though to do so, she would need something to barter first. He was sure she would be sending them out to acquire something that would suffice and he needed to prepare his men for whatever lay ahead.

###

_Rumpelstiltskin always enjoyed the rain, even before he became the Dark One. When he was human, rain was about cleansing and giving life. Dirt was washed away and their crops would grow plentiful for market. Now, rain was about power, especially during thunder storms like this one. It was as if nature was showing off some of its power for him, a challenge for him to do better._

_He smirked as he watched the storm from his laboratory window. He would stand and watch nature's display for a few more moments before retiring for the night. He would usually stay awake as long as possible, but tonight he actually looked forward to sleep. The storm would ease his mind, warding off the plague of nightmares that usually greeted him after he closed his eyes._

_As he made his way back to his bedroom, he decided last minute to check in on his permanent house guest. He wasn't sure why though. She was surely sound asleep at this hour, therefore not needing any checking up on. However, he still couldn't help himself as he headed in her direction and found himself standing right outside her door. He had recently felt generous and traded out her cell for a more spacious and comfortable living quarters. It was natural for him to want to check to see if everything was working out, even at such a ridiculous hour, right?_

_As he reached for the doorknob, he noticed that his hand was shaking. What was he so nervous about?He was just going to peak in, see her sleeping soundly and then he would retreat to his own bed and indulge in a dreamless sleep. Resolve renewed, he gripped the handle firmly and slowly opened the door._

_He opened it just enough to see her sleeping soundly in her bed except, she wasn't in her bed. Rumpelstiltskin opened the door wider and saw no trace of the young brunette anywhere. A quizzical look came over his face. Where in the world was she? Stepping into her room, he attempted to take a better look around, just in case she had fallen off the other side of the bed or something._

_Rumpelstiltskin felt extremely uncomfortable being in Belle's room, especially with her seemingly not in it. He felt as if he was intruding, staining her personal space with his presence. He would of just left everything as is, if it wasn't for the fact he was actually starting to care for the girl; he would never tell anyone that tidbit of information though, he'd barely admit it to himself._

_A flash of lightning lit up the room with white light and the thunder that followed resonated deep within the gut. The wardrobe that was situated in one of the far corners for some reason, caught his eye. It wasn't anything fancy, but it seemed to be calling for him to look inside. Having giving up on any sense of respect, Rumpelstiltskin strode forward and eased both doors open. What he found inside took him totally by surprise._

_Belle, dressed in nothing but an off-white nightgown, was curled in the fetal position on the floor of said wardrobe. Rumpelstiltskin looked on in confusion, and was just about to ask what in the world she was doing, when another strike of lightning hit. He watched as Belle made a noise like a wounded dog and brought her knees even closer to her persons._

_If you had walked up to Rumpelstiltskin and told him Belle had a unnatural fear of thunder and lightning storms, he would of laughed in your face and then turned you into snail for spreading such foul rumors. But here she was, one of the bravest people he knew, curled up on the floor of her wardrobe and shaking like a leaf. _

_He wasn't sure where the feeling came from, but he found it hurt to see Belle in such a frightened, vulnerable state. He wanted, no, **needed** to do something to make her feel better, to help her feel safe again. So Rumpelstiltskin did the only thing he could think of, he climbed in there with her and carefully wrapped his arms around her shaking form._

_After a while, Belle's shaking slowly started to dissipate. It wasn't long until she was curled up in his lap, her head resting on his shoulder, steady breathing signaling she had fallen asleep. Rumpelstiltskin knew he should get her back into her bed, but wasn't quite ready for this moment to end. He briefly wondered if she would remember this in the morning. He realized then he really didn't care and continued to hold her long after the storm had past._

_###_

Belle felt the gentle lapping of water against the lower half of her body. Her whole body hurt like it did when she was thrown from her family's horse many years ago. She tried to move but, for some reason, her muscles weren't responding with her demands. Her eye's hurt as well, so much that she couldn't bare to open them.

The last thing she remembered was being chased by the Evil Queen and her guards. She then remembered having a wonderful dream about Rumpelstiltskin, though she couldn't remember what about. Now she was laying down somewhere with water sloshing over her legs.

Wait...water?

Belle's eyes suddenly snapped open. She was laying on a shoreline on the edge of some river. Slowly moving her forearms under her, she lifted her upper torso just enough, so she could get a more proper look of her surroundings. A little ways off in the distance was a waterfall with a cliff hanging above it.

Everything came back in a flash. The Queen, their conversation, her running to safety and ending with her, not so safely, falling over a cliff. Belle stared, her gaze transfix. How in the world did she survive a fall like that? Any other human being would of died the moment they hit the water!

A shooting pain in her abdomen interrupted her thoughts. Belle cringed and curled herself up on her side, willing the stabbing pain to go away. After a while, it dulled but only to come back again full force a moment later. With each shot of pain, Belle would also experience flashes of images, images that she could barely make out but were clear enough to know she was experiencing something.

Between an episode of pain, Belle was somehow able to lift herself to her feet and begin making her way forward. She was able to make it a little ways into the forest nearby before collapsing. She could feel herself loosing consciousness, and just as she felt that last bit of awareness slip away, she noticed a swirl of red come toward her and envelope her into darkness.

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Like I said, long lol Hope it wasn't too long though! My apologies if you felt as such. I doubt there will be any others this long, if only I got serious carpel tunnel afterwards. x.x Also, I'm thinking Belle is in her third month here; enough where her clothes might start feeling tighter but might not really be showing, if at all. (I understand not all women are the same. I'm just going by my friend who is pregnant with her first)

3 more days till OUATS2! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note:** My apologies this took so long! This chapter kinda took a different turn than I had planned so I had to go back and rework a few things. I really hope everyone likes where I'm taking this and how I'm working with it.

**Disclaimer: **Greater minds than I own OUAT. I'm just twisting them into my own creativity. :)

**Chapter 3**

Sun streamed in through the window panes, signaling the night had come and gone and morning had followed in its wake. Belle stirred in her sleep, awake but lacked the energy to open her eyes or really do anything but lay there. She smiled as she rolled over in her bed, grabbing a spare pillow and pulling it toward her. Every morning she was ever thankful for the fact Rumpelstiltskin had been gracious enough to give her a bedroom of her own. Technically speaking, it could have been argued he had done that from the start, but Belle didn't know anyone in their right mind who would really consider a cell in a dungeon a bedroom.

Burying her face deeper into her pillow, she tried to recall the details of the dream she had just woken up from. Rumpelstiltskin had commanded her to leave the castle to fetch him more straw and, when she had gotten back, she had walked on over and proceeded to kiss him. She then remembered being in a tavern and having a conversation with some dwarfs, then being in an enchanted forest and being hunted down by an Evil Queen.

Her mother used to talk to her about how dreams were visions of the future. Belle could feel herself blush as she thought about the scenario that occurred between her and Rumpelstiltskin. She couldn't deny the feelings of love she was feeling for her master, but to actually voice it aloud and with something as direct as a kiss? She wasn't sure how the rest could really happen either. It wasn't like she was permitted to leave the Dark Castle. Belle momentarily wondered if Rumpelstiltskin could influence what people dreamed. She decided she would merely mention her weird dreams to him this morning and, depending on his response, would get her answer; Belle had lived with the sorcerer for long enough now that she knew when the little imp was hiding something simply from the tone in his voice.

She most certainly was going to kill him if it was the affirmative.

Speaking of voices, Belle could hear two of them wandering up from the one of the rooms below. Rumpelstiltskin didn't usually have visitors this early, but there was always a first for everything she supposed. She couldn't make out what was being said but one of them sounded very insistent, while the other seemed to be almost pleading. As the morning fog began dissipating from her mind, she began to realize something wasn't quite right with the voices she was hearing. One of them being female wasn't a surprise, even though it was on rare occasions Rumpelstiltskin received female visitors. The fact that they were _**both**_ female was what made Belle's forehead crease with confusion. In all her time at the Dark Castle, not once had Rumpelstiltskin had two visitors at the same time. Belle felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought of there being two females downstairs with her master this early in the morning.

As she continued to listen, Belle soon noticed that she had yet to hear a male's voice, signaling the presence of her employer. She knew he was a man of very little words, but certainly she would of heard him by now. Was he not with them? And if that was the case, where these female voices a pair of intruders?

In response to her last thought, Belle flung the covers off her, fully prepared to leap out of bed and confront those who would dare do either her or Rumpelstiltskin harm. She froze however when she realized she wasn't in her bedroom nor was she in the Dark Castle. The room she was in was quite small, most of the space being taken up by the bed she was laying on. Candles were strewn about, giving a dim yet romantic glow to everything. There were windows, but they were boarded shut as though trying to keep something from getting in or to keep something out. Belle ran her hands over the fur pelt that lay atop the sheets she was wrapped in. Where in the world was she?

Reality came flooding back like a tidal wave. Her supposed dreams were visions, but visions of the past. The kiss, the tavern, the forest, the Evil Queen, everything that she had thought was a dream had actually happened. Belle could feel herself becoming sick from the realization and bent the upper half of her body over the bed in preparation for the physical onslaught she had grown so accustomed to.

A tingling sensation began stirring in her gut. The tingling soon transformed into a deep warmth and spread throughout her entire body. It was like she was being comforted from the inside out. It was like someone was telling her everything was going to be alright, that she was safe, and she no longer needed to be afraid. Belle took deep steady breaths as the sensation set deep into her bones and the nausea she was feeling dissipated into nothingness.

Belle gently sat back up and reclined herself against the pillows situated behind her, her right hand laid upon her abdomen. This wasn't the first time she had felt a disturbance from her lower regions. Previously, intense pain had reverberated from her core, debilitating her movements and causing one heck of a major black out. Belle wasn't sure what was going on, but she was thankful her desire to vacate her stomach was no longer an issue.

Absentmindedly, Belle rubbed her right hand over the thin fabric of the nightwear she was wearing. A gentle movement pushed back in response. Belle's hand to froze in its movements, her eye's wide with terror. Carefully, she moved her hand back and forth focusing on the sensations happening in her belly. Initially, she wasn't sure what was going on, but womanly instincts kicked in just like they always do and she gasped at the realization. There was no way though...granted there was that one time but she didn't think...

A few months back, sometime after she had arrived at the Dark Castle, her and Rumpelstiltskin had shared an unexpected night of passion. It had happened the night after she had fallen from a ladder and he had caught her in his arms. Seeing him standing there in the sunlight, feeling the comfort of his arms, his warm breath on her face; something stirred inside her, emotions she had never felt for another human being before.

She had gone to him that night. Part of her knew it was a bad idea, but the look she had seen in his eyes gave her hope. She had been correct in him responding favorably for, when he had opened to door and saw her standing there, he had wasted no time in taking her into his arms and to his bed. Granted they had mutually decided that it was a moment that would never be spoken of after, but that was more out of fear for awkwardness since he was technically her employer and she his servant. It had been a moment of weakness for the two of them, but one neither of them truly regretted.

A woman suddenly came through the bedroom door, startling Belle from her thoughts. She was young, no older than herself, with chocolate colored curls cascading down past her shoulders. She was wearing a brownish green dress that laced up in the front with a white linen shirt underneath. What really drew Belle's attention though, was the bright red hooded cape she was sporting.

The young woman had a look of amazement and relief upon her face, two things that unnerved Belle since they were directed solely at her. "You're awake," the woman walked deeper into the room, still smiling, "My grandmother didn't think you'd make it, but I knew she'd be wrong."

A voice from the room beyond suddenly rang out,startling both of them. "Are you harassing that poor girl?" An elderly woman appeared in the doorway, blocking the light from the other room. Her body spoke of frailty, but her eyes spoke of a strength hidden within.

"For goodness sake girl, let the poor thing rest! How would you like it if I barged in on you sleeping?"

The woman in red rolled her eyes and heaved a huge sigh before turning and addressing. "Granny, she was awake. It's why I came in here. I wouldn't of otherwise."

"Don't you huff and roll your eyes at me young lady."

Belle watched as the two women continued to bicker. For some reason, she didn't see it as the usual disrespect one might interpret it as, but more of a way the two showed affection. Whether _**they**_ realized it or not remained to be seen. As much as Belle was enjoying the attention being drawn away from her though, she had a few questions that needed to be answered.

"Excuse me, but who are you?"

It all of a sudden got extremely quiet as both turned their attention back toward her. It was almost like they had forgotten Belle was even there. Belle shifted and brought the sheets up to wrap them around herself. Two strangers were watching her with the intensity of a cat watching a mouse scurry across the floor. She was wearing nothing but a simple lace-up nightgown so, needless to say, she was feeling a little bit exposed at the moment.

Once again, a gentle smile appeared on the hooded woman's face. " My name's Red," she then motioned to the elderly woman behind her, "and this is my grandmother."

Belle nodded to each of them in turn but refrained from introducing herself. She didn't feel comfortable revealing who she was just yet. Red must of noticed her discomfort for she continued on without pause.

"I found you at the edge of the wood. You looked like you had been through something fierce so I thought to bring you back here."

Her grandmother had gone back into the other room at some point during their brief conversation and was coming back, only now she seemed to be carrying a stack of fresh clothing. "And it's a good thing you did. Who knows what would of happened if the wolf had found her."

A look of horror flashed over Red's face before she scrunched her face in a hiss. "Granny!"

"Well it's the truth. A young girl like her, all battered and passed out like she was. It be easy pickings for that beast," she began unfolding and laying out each article of clothing at the foot of the bed, "Honestly, I'm surprised she survived whatever it was that had befallen her. A normal person wouldn't, of that I'm sure."

Belle's face fell and she looked down at her lap as the two continued their conversation. She wasn't normal, she knew that now. She was pregnant with the Dark Ones child and it was that reason alone as to why she was sitting here. No normal person could of survived a fall off that cliff and Belle was sure her baby had something to do with her survival. Belle could feel her body tense up under the covers. What else was her baby capable of? Did this mean she had power as well? Was she now cursed like Rumpelstiltskin? What was the pregnancy going to be like? Was giving birth to a magical being going to be different than giving birth to a normal human? Those thoughts, as well as many others, now plagued Belle's mind with a vengeance.

As the seconds ticked, she could feel herself becoming overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty. She could do nothing as all those pent up emotions came flooding out in the form of a river of tears, her cries echoing throughout the entire home. She wanted to be away from here, she wanted to be home, but most of all, she wanted Rumpelstiltskin here with her. She wanted his help, _**needed**_ his help to get through this. There was no way she could do it on her own. She continued to cry as those thoughts repeated themselves like a horrid mantra inside her head. She continued to cry even after she was asked what was wrong and continued still, well after Red had gotten into bed with her and held her trembling form against the stillness of her own.

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I'm thinking about writing a one-shot depicting there night together at the Dark Castle, but I'm not sure yet.

Next chapter will be up soon!


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note: **Gift of magic has just passes the top review mark that my FFVII fic, Renatus, held! Yes, I know it's only by five but, for me, it's a big leap. ^^ I know, I'm easy to please lol

Considering all the crap that has been going on, I'm kinda surprised I got this up as soon as I did. It's most likely because writing is my own little sanctuary, a place where I can get away from it all, and I need that more than ever at the moment.

Oh! and I probably should of said this before now, but Belle is nearing the end of her third month here. I've never been pregnant before, so pardon any ignorance, but my friend is and she didn't start showing until sometime into her second trimester so I'm kinda going with that. Plus every woman's different so...yeah.

**Disclaimer: **Once Upon A Time belongs to their respective...blah blah blah. You all know I don't own this sweet perfection that is a TV series.

**Chapter Four**

It had taken a while, but Belle had finally managed to pull herself together. Granted, her eyes were still red and puffy, and her nose was stuffed to the point she couldn't breathe, but she was at least able to collect her emotions and successfully sort out most of her thoughts.

A crisp, cool breeze cut through the air but it did nothing to stop the perspiration that was forming on the back of her neck as she sat on the back steps of Red and Granny's house. Both Red and Granny had made a fuss over her going out in nothing but a nightgown, but Belle insisted she needed to be alone for a while. Red had demanded that she at least take a coverup and Belle relented, if only to appease so she would finally be left alone.

Belle looked down and rubbed her hand across her belly. Ever since her crying episode, the movements inside of her had gone from the occasional twitch to a constant tumbling. She had obviously upset it with her breakdown and this was probably its way of having its own personal temper tantrum to get back at her. Belle took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself and to still the being inside of her; all this movement was beginning to become quite uncomfortable. She really needed some peace to think and, no matter what, it seemed hell bent and determined to give the exact opposite.

A loud twittering brought Belle's attention upwards. She watched as a mother bird fluttered overhead and landed to give food to her younglings. She then noticed as two squirrels bounded from branch to branch nearby. One was obviously larger than the other and Belle couldn't help but think it a mother teaching her child the necessary techniques to survive and have their own children someday.

She briefly wondered what having a proper family with Rumpelstiltskin would have been like. She knew he used to have a family, he admitted as such, so she wondered if having a second chance to be a father would appeal to him. She wondered if he would have been ecstatic, sweeping her up in his arms or angry, accusing her of wanting to use the child as a means to control and destroy him. Having a new family could also bring up the memories of his previous one, the one that had been taken away from him. She wasn't sure how or when he had lost his wife and son, but Belle figured it was either by disease or because of the war. She couldn't imagine the pain he must of felt, not being able to do anything to save them.

Red's presence above her made Belle banish any more thoughts about her true love. She didn't want to start crying again as she was sure this woman had most certainly had enough of her raging hormones for one day. Belle then heard Red situate herself on top the step next to her and heave a heavy sigh as she looked out into the forest.

"It's almost like you can sense the animals determination and love for one another. It think it shows just how much people and animals are so alike. I mean, granted we humans don't have fur or anything, but we both have that desire to be able to provide for our family, to teach the ways of our kind to our young. If you think about, it's almost like we're leaving a part of us behind that can forever live on with them."

Out of the corner of her eye, Belle saw Red turn and smile at her. This simple gesture actually caused Belle to relax some and lean her back against the top step. There was a brief pause in conversation before Red asked her a curious question.

"What kind of animal would you be?"

Belle's head swiveled to turn her full attention on the woman next to her. It was here that she noticed that she was no longer wearing the red cloak, making her almost seem like a different person. Belle gave her a quizzical look before asking what she meant.

Red chuckled and repeated her question. "What kind of animal would you be? We were just talking about them and I was just curious to know which one you would associate yourself with."

Belle continued to look confused as to why she'd bring up such an odd thing, but acknowledged her question all the same. "Oh...um...I guess I would say, the dove?" Belle looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing, "It represents a type of freedom, to be able to fly away whenever it wishes and...I feel it also represents true love in its purest of forms," Belle fidgeted some as she thought about whether she should say what she was thinking about next. After a short debate, Belle decided there really wasn't much harm, "Even after having your heart broken as much as I've had, I find myself drawn to love more than ever. You?"

Red nodded her understanding before speaking. "I think I'd be a wolf. They're fierce, strong beings that aren't afraid of anything and can make it own their own," Red joined Belle in her reclining, "No rules, no one to tell you what you can and can not do..."

As Red trailed off, Belle saw this as an opportunity to ask her own question, one that had been burning in the back of her mind since she had woken up. "Your grandmother said something about wolves running around?"

Red nodded the affirmative. "Actually, it's wolf and it only comes around here at night during the full moon. It usually just goes about slaughtering livestock, but will occasionally kill a human as well if the desire strikes it," Red's jaw locked in firm and intense resolve, "If I were a wolf, I would never be like this one, killing humans and animals for its own sick amusement."

Belle didn't like the tension that was slowly forming between them, so she tried to steer the conversation back to the fun and humorous tone it once had.

"What about your grandmother? What creature do you think she'd be?"

For a moment, Red looked extremely lost in thought before getting a wicked grin on her face. "An ogre."

Even after pointing out that wasn't a very nice for her to say, Belle joined in on Red's laughter session. It felt almost silly making these animal comparisons but, with Red, it seemed almost natural. Her and Rumpelstiltskin used to joke around all the time so it felt good to be able to do that with someone again. It also felt good to be able to hear herself laugh. After leaving the Dark Castle, Belle couldn't remember the last time she had laughed as heartily as she was now.

After their jubilant laughter had died down, they both sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the others company and the nature that surrounded them. Before long though, Red felt a burning need to ask the one question Belle would dread answering.

"You said you've had your heart broken. Was it...recently or...?"

Belle nodded, the lump in her throat making it impossible to speak. Red tilted her head as she took in her companion's reaction.

"What happened?"

Belle took a steady breath to quell the response she felt on the inside. "Honestly, I don't know. I guess he just didn't want me or the baby anymore."

Red's green eye's widened in shock as she leaned toward Belle and took in exactly what had just been said. "Baby? Wait, you're pregnant?!"

Belle cringed as she realized what had just come out of her mouth. She had said the term baby and, even now, the word felt foreign and not quite right on her tongue. Yes, she was pregnant, but she wasn't quite sure how she felt about others knowing. Well, there was no going back now. She couldn't just sweep that little mistake under the carpet after all. Belle sighed as she nodded the affirmative.

Red huffed as she flung herself back against the stairs. "Ass."

She knew she shouldn't, but Belle couldn't help but snort with humor at Red's reaction. There was a part of her however, that wanted to tell Red that Rumpelstiltskin had no idea about she was with child, to stand up for him and say he wouldn't of turned her away if he had known. In all honesty though, Belle wasn't quite sure. Ever since she discovered she was pregnant, she wasn't sure about anything anymore.

Red tried to ask more questions about her relationship, but Belle forcefully shut her off, letting her know how uncomfortable she was with the subject. She was then startled as Red abruptly got to her feet. She panicked, turned, and was going to apologize for her rudeness, but her voice caught in her throat. Red was looking down at Belle with an air of confirmation about her.

"Well, I say that settles it. You, are staying with me and Granny."

Wide-eyed and slack jawed, Belle did her best to argue against the decision. "No, I mean, I couldn't possibly...I wouldn't want to be a burden on you."

"The only thing that would be a burden would be the burden of guilt if we actually let you go off on your own, especially in your condition"

Belle wasn't sure if it was the fear of being an annoyance, or the fact she didn't want to be closed up in another place again, but she really didn't want to take Red up on her offer. Pregnant or not, she wanted to be free to do as she willed, to not be tied down to one place. She also didn't want anyone around when she gave birth to this thing inside of her. She had no idea how giving birth to the Dark One's child was going to go and she didn't want anyone getting hurt by it.

"Well, what about when it becomes winter. You and your grandmother couldn't possibly have enough food for all three of us?" Belle knew she was grasping at straws but she was desperate.

Red smiled as she leaned forward in an attempt to drive her point home. "Technically, you'd be eating for two so it would four. Anyway, winter's still far off yet. Plus, Granny always keeps an extra stock pile of food just in case the wolf or mother nature hits us bad that year," Red turned to make her way back inside, but turned back around, still smiling, "So it's final. No more arguing."

Belle pouted like a child as Red shot her an amused smirk before finally retreating back into the house. Almost at quickly as she had disappeared however, she returned. Belle looked up in question as to why she had come back so quick –she couldn't of possibly talked to her grandmother _**that**_ fast– but Red spoke before she could get anything out.

"I've just realized, we've been talking all this time and I don't even know your name."

Shifting uncomfortably, Bell bit her lower lip. She didn't know just how far out news of her "kidnapping" had spread, so she was still somewhat hesitant to reveal her actual name. She didn't care what happened next, just as long as she wasn't made to return home,especially now that she knew she was pregnant. A false name quickly slipped from her lips before Belle really had much chance to think about it.

"Isabelle."

Red nodded, seemingly pleased with that response. Heading back inside, she stopped short and turned back around to face Belle. "You know, a dove also represents promise, a promise for a new beginning, a brighter future. You're strong Isabelle. You'll get your new beginning, for you and your child." And with that, Red finally disappeared.

Belle couldn't help but smile as she was once again left alone with her thoughts. She could feel herself becoming slightly attached to Red. Granted she didn't fully trust her yet, but there was something about her she really liked. Maybe it was her carefree and independent attitude, or because she was someone who sincerely wanted to help her, but she could see them becoming fast friends. Who knows, she may even find a new home here.

Somewhere inside, Belle heard Red's grandmother yell out something about her not wearing her red cloak. She smiled with amusement. She hadn't even been there long and already she could tell how intense Red's grandmother could get. She curled her legs against her body and wiped a sheen layer of sweat off her forehead.

She really needed to get back inside before she cooked to death.

###

_Belle smiled as she walked through the lush garden within the walls surrounding the Dark Castle. It was by far more grand the the one she was used to, and was home to flowers she had never laid eyes on before. She made a mental note of each one and their color so she could look them up in the library later. She very well couldn't of asked Rumpelstiltskin considering she wasn't really supposed to be out here._

_Rumpelstiltskin...he had left earlier that morning on one of his many deal making excursions, saying he wouldn't be back until sunset. Belle had gotten all of her chores done early and prompted to spend the rest of the afternoon doing some reading. As she sat in one of the plush chairs next to the window in the library however, with the heat from the sun beating on her face, she couldn't help but feel like she was being invited to take her afternoon pleasure outside. Granted, Rumpelstiltskin would most likely have a fit if he found out she had left the confides of the castle, but she really couldn't care less at the moment; she refused to spend such a warm and relaxing day closed up in a cold and foreboding castle. Besides, how could anyone expect someone to stay indoors on such a glorious day?_

_Belle soon found herself nearing the border of the massive garden. She noticed a good size pond was set up a ways to her left and, curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to take a closer look. After maneuvering herself through some overgrown brush, she found herself upon its edge, the surface of the water acting like a giant mirror reflecting the rays from the late afternoon sun. Across the pond was a pathway that lead to a grand pavilion sitting amongst a plethora of roses, some of them in colors she could of never imagined._

_Crouching down next to the edge of the pond, Belle noticed some fish occasionally coming up to break the surface, as well as a few reeds scattered here and there. There was also a string of rocks that almost created a walkway to the other side. Belle smiled as she remembered walking upon some to get across a stream with her mother. She remembered giggling as she made her way across with her mother, full of merriment as well, encouraging her forward. Remembering such a joyous occasion made Belle want to relive it as best she could, so she stood up and prepared herself for the journey across. _

_Belle smiled as she took a tentative step onto the first rock, her arms and hands held out straight for maximum balance. She couldn't help but mirror her giggles from her past as she crossed over the second, third and even the fourth rock. Somewhere along the fifth and sixth one however, footing was fumbled and unfortunately lost. Belle was only able to give a short startled scream before she fell in, her entire being becoming drenched from head to foot._

_Belle groaned as she sat up, her clothing soaked with water to the point they practically hung off her. Her hair was just about as wet as the rest of her, her curls now plastered to her face and back. Brushing her face free of her hair, Belle huffed and cursed herself for her clumsiness. It must have been an acquired skill as she never remembered being this bad when she was a child. _

_Attempting to get up,Belle's hand unfortunately came into contact with the only clump of algae in the entire pond, causing it to slip out from under her and help her in creating another face plant into the water. Once again, Belle brought herself into a sitting position and flung her hair from her face in a fit of frustration. Bad luck must of come with the package as well. Silently, she thanked whoever that no one was around to see such a spectacle, but a childish laugh behind her shattered that pleasing thought. _

"_Hello there dearie! Going for a swim I see."_

_Belle turned her head to find the man of the hour perched atop a giant boulder situated directly in the middle of the pond. He had a maniacal grin on plastered on his face and was seemingly amused by the whole situation._

_Belle sputtered water from her mouth and looked Rumpelstiltskin dead in the face."I didn't do this one purpose you know."_

_Without any trouble, Rumpelstiltskin now stood atop the boulder he was on and, still smiling, regarded her with an air of superiority and absolute delight. He then, like he was performing some graceful dance, jumped from one rock to the other until he was facing away from her on the other side._

"_Could of fooled me."_

_If looks could kill, Belle would of turned Rumpelstiltskin into dust in an instant. Sighing with frustration and, deciding all dignity was lost at this point, raised one of her hands out to him._

"_Now since I obviously can't get myself out, be a gentleman and help me out of here," and, even though Rumpelstiltskin's back was turned, she motioned her hand for him to take it. _

_Spinning around, Rumpelstiltskin still had that same childish look of amusement on his face. "Ah, but one would have to be a gentleman before though now wouldn't he?"_

_Belle was on the verge of tears as she let her hand flop back down into the water. She was wet, cold and wanted to do nothing more than retreat into her room and not show herself for the rest of eternity. Rumpelstiltskin must of noticed the sudden change in her demeanor for he decided to take pity on her and fulfill her request. He didn't take her hand as she expected however, but lifted her into his arms bridal style and carried her back to the mainland. _

_Belle could feel her cheeks heat up while he carried her in his arms, and even after he had set her back down. It was only then that she noticed the book she had been carrying was no longer with her, but floating face down in the water behind them._

_Cringing with horror, Belle slowly turned back to her employer and whispered her apologies, hoping he wouldn't be too mad for ruining one of his prized books. To her surprise, no such trace of negative emotion was found on his face. In fact, he was looking at her with a smile that caused her to blush even deeper and had a look in his eyes that caused a small tremor to go down her spine._

"_No matter. As long as you're alright."_

###

Belle stirred in her sleep, waking up to darkness as the sun had yet to come over the horizon. She smiled as she thought about the dream she had just had. Well, it was more like a memory. She was actually completely surprised that Rumpelstiltskin wasn't in the least bit angry about his book nor at her for being outside. In fact, he had even suggested they eat lunch tomorrow out near the pavilion. Granted she wasn't too thrilled about being so near the pond again, but Rumpelstiltskin assured her he would protect her from the "big, scary body of water." She had unregretfully slapped him on the shoulder in response. Looking next to her, she saw that Red was still very much asleep. They both had to share a bed as there was little room to place another. It was perfectly fine however, considering they were both female and the bed was quite big enough to fit two comfortably.

Getting up as slowly as she could, so as to not wake Red, Belle grabbed her coverup and tentatively stepped out into the main room. Red's grandmother must of finally gone to sleep sometime during the night, for the chair she had been sitting in was no longer occupied. It had been a full moon last night and Granny had been insistent on guarding the door while her and Red slept peacefully in the other room. Making sure to still walk as quietly as she could, Belle stepped out into the world so she could watch the sunrise. She used to get up much earlier back at the Dark Castle and found she gained much pleasure from watching the sun come up.

She was somewhat disappointed in finding the forest trees blocked most of her view, but she could still enjoy the light cascading over them and the colors the sun's rays painted in the sky. Her attention was brought away from the glorious spectacle however, when she heard a soft cooing sound over her left shoulder. A white dove had perched itself atop the roof of Red and Granny's house. Belle was briefly reminded about the conversation her and Red had the precious day. She wondered if this was a sign that everything was going to be alright, that she would get her "new beginning" as Red had put it. And, as the sunrise neared its end and the dove flew off into the morning light, Belle was more secure in her future than ever before.

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I really enjoyed writing that dream sequence. I wanted to play with Rumpelstiltskin's sadistic, playful personality. I also wanted to kinda play with Belle for a little bit and put some lightheartedness in since it's been only angst so far. :)

Also, I'm not 100% sure where I want this to go from here, but I'm going to try and get the next chapter up by the end of next week and no later. Don't be afraid to give me some ideas if you want!

Oh yeah, and keep them reviews coming! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Authors Note: **I had soooo much trouble with this chapter. I was actually worried I wasn't going to be able to get it up in the weeks time but here it is! It guess this can be seen as kind of a filler chapter though we do get a little more insight into Belle's emotions. Also, it's always fun to see Red and Belle interact together *teehee*

Also, a second character come onto the scene! ^_^

**Disclaimer: **Once Upon a Time does not belong to me, so please no suing. You'll only get $35 out of me anyway if you did lol

**Update: **So, while I was at work, I realized I had made a little booboo while writing this chapter. I had Red and everyone calling Belle by her actual name instead of her "fake" name. My apologize for that. *bows* Sometimes I just get so into my writing, I forget little tidbits like that. Everything has been corrected though and, hopefully, I'll be more consistent next time :)

**Chapter Five **

It had only been a couple of months since Belle had accommodated herself into village life, but the drastic change in scenery had made her feel like it had been a much longer affair. A whirlwind of colors, dark reds, bright oranges, and traces of crisp yellow leaves drifted down from the thick branches that reached out above her. A slight breeze whispered along, fluttering her dark colored tresses and teasing more leaves into releasing their tentative hold. A sent of mint and earth bombard her senses as she watched the village children run about, their sweet and jubilant laughter ringing out across the land. A blanket of serenity draped the woodland, creating a truly harmonious emotion. Autumn had most certainly arrived in the most splendid of arrays.

Belle couldn't help but smile as she twirled about, the essence of the season taking over her completely. It was like her skin was tingling with magic as she danced, totally oblivious to the stares she was receiving. She could hear the leaves as they crunched beneath her feet, almost imagining the swirl of color around her as she danced. Autumn was always one of her favorite seasons, next to spring, and she felt like she was truly living the experience.

In exchange for staying with them, Granny had insisted that Belle earn her keep as long as her pregnancy would allow her to. Red wasn't very pleased with this arrangement, but Belle had found it to be more than acceptable, so she had agreed. Currently, Belle was leisurely making her way out to the well to collect two pails of fresh spring water. The well was located outside the village boundaries, but the wolf wasn't supposed to make an appearance until a few nights past –Granny had assured that the wolf never deviates from the cycle of the moon– so Belle felt safe in journeying by herself.

As she walked through a small section of forest, Belle looked down at the now obvious bump showing underneath her dress. In reality, she was never alone. No matter how empty the room was, nor how big the space, she always had her baby. It had taken some time, but Belle had finally come to terms with her pregnancy. She was able to look at herself and see she actually had a child growing inside, a human being. She no longer saw what she was carrying as a thing, a creature that she couldn't imagine was even real.

Seeing the tangle of trees coming to an end, Belle almost rushed out into the small clearing, a lone stone well situated in the middle of it. She gave a huge sigh of relief as she came upon the well, placing her pails on the ground so she could momentarily rub her aching feet. She had forgone her heeled shoes for a more practical flat set, but walking long distances still occasionally put a strain on her. However, she was determined to keep up her duties until she was forcefully bed-ridden and this baby was on the verge of exploding out of her.

Belle did her best to reach down and grasp the handle of one of the pails in her delicate hands. Straightening up, she then reached for the rope attached to the spindle and secured it before gently lowering the bucket down into the bowels of the well. As she felt the impact of the water against the wooden bottom, Red suddenly appeared along her peripheral vision. She noticed how Red walked along the circumference of the well and only stopped when she was right in front of her, her forearms resting along the edge of the well opening.

"What are you doing?"

Belle chortled as she began slowly pulling the bucket back to the surface. "I'm retrieving water from the well to use for cleaning." Belle would of figured that what she was engrossed in was obvious, but she had a feeling there was more behind Red's question than what was on the surface.

Red casually pushed herself away from the stone structure and made her way to stand next to her, "Not with that belly you're not."

Belle groaned in protest as Red took hold of the rope and proceeded to, with much more speed and affiance, raise the bucket from the well's dark depths.

"Red, I'm not _**that**_ pregnant. I can still do normal chores like fetch water and cook food for everyone."

Red paused in her movements so she could turn her full attention onto her best friend, "Not that pregnant? Isabelle, I could see your belly all the way over when I was standing near the edge of the forest."

Belle silently huffed as Red proceeded to place the now full bucket on the ground and send the second one down the same way. If there was one thing Belle had learned these past few months, it was that there was no use in arguing with Red. The girl was as stubborn as her grandmother in that respect. Confront her about it though, and you'd get an earful about how both of them were the farthest thing from being alike in anyway.

After making sure each bucket was properly filled, and after a short argument on who was to carry them –Red had finally relented and let Belle carry at least one of them– both girls began making their way back to the village to start work on the laundry that lay in wait. Usually it was something Belle did on her own, but Red was looking for any excuse _**not**_ to go wood gathering. The wood always stuck to her clothing and it was always impossible to pick off. Not to mention the hassle and strain of actually chopping the wood. At least, when she couldn't get her friend Peter to do it.

Peter was one of the older boys from the village. He was the son of a blacksmith and one of Red's closet friends. Red didn't like to acknowledge it to many people, but there was something that ran a hair bit deeper than friendship with the two. Belle could see it in the way each held their body when the other was near, they way they spoke to one another and the subtle touches Red would give and Peter would allow. It was easy to see love when you had been so deeply ensnared by it yourself.

As Belle and Red walked back into the village, Belle noticed Pater actually making his way toward them. She signaled to Red about his pending presence and watched as her face lit up with the utmost joy and excitement. Peter smiled at both of them and waved. Red responded with her own ecstatic gestures while Belle simply gave him a friendly nod. It wasn't that she didn't like Peter, she just felt extremely awkward being around the two when they interacted. She also felt a twinge of jealousy when she watched them together. It made her think of herself and Rumple and what could have been had things not gone so awry.

Not wanting to get in the way, and not particularly wanting to observe their love struck faces at the moment, Belle excused herself by telling Red she was going to get ahead start the laundry while she conversed. Red nodded and, after handing her back the second pail, replied she would join her once she had finished her talk with Peter. Belle nodded and continued on her way toward the house and putting as much distance between them and true love as possible.

They say that time heals all wounds. As Belle poured the water into a larger basin, she laughed out loud at such a statement. Time didn't heal wounds, it merely scabbed them over. The wounds were left right where they were formed with plenty of opportunities to scratch and pick at them until they bled once more. Time did nothing to help her forget Rumpelstiltskin. It only made his presence slightly fade, while the sadness,longing and anger flared to even higher pitches. Some days she was fine while others, the pain burned like skin scorched by a dragons fire.

Removing her gray cloak and tossing it toward the ground, Belle rolled up the sleeves of her dark blue dress and proceeded to soak each article of clothing one by one. A scrubbing board was reclining against the side of the basin to assist in the removal of dirt and other particles. Occasionally, when she noticed a particular nasty stain, she would retrieve a small block of soap and scrub the offender before depositing the piece of clothing back into the water. She was about a quarter of the way through her half of the wash when Red finally sauntered through the backdoor of the house, wearing a smile that could easily rival one of a cat who had just eaten a particularly fat mouse.

"What did Peter want?" Belle did her best to feign her annoyance over a particular stain that was offending one of the handful of dresses Red's grandmother had made for her.

Red acted like she didn't even notice the change in Belle's demeanor as she skipped over to the large basin, removed her own cloak and and began washing her own section of clothing. "Oh nothing really. Just wanted to know how everything was going, how Granny was doing..."

Belle made a noise somewhere in her throat to acknowledge Red's explanation. She wondered if Red finally noticed the switch in her mood for she regarded her with a sort of realization. She also wondered if Red had discovered the true reason behind her foul mood for, while she was still smiling, she was looking on with a better sense of understanding of the situation.

"He asked about you, you know."

Bell looked up from her work with an air of shock about her. In all the time she had been living here, Peter had never once seemed to terribly interested in her nor how she was doing. She was pretty used to it considering most of the village folk looked at her with some level of disgust and did their best to avoid her if possible. She just figured Peter was one of them and only showed some level of tolerance because she was close friends with Red.

"He did?"

Red nodded and momentarily forgot about the shirt she had been scrubbing. "Yep. Was curious as to how you and your baby were doing, how much longer you had left until you gave birth and if there was anything he could do to help."

At this point, Belle started to feel a little ashamed of herself. She had begun to realize that perhaps Peter could very well have been showing her the same kindness that Red and Granny had been, only her negative emotions about herself and others had blinded her. She felt quite silly for letting her emotions take control of her like that. She was usually so level headed, able to rationalize her way through anything. It was here that she realized just how much of a disease love could be. It could make you lightheaded and nauseous when you have it and could poison your thoughts about the others around you when you've lost it. She briefly wondered if there was a cure and what she would have to do to get her hands on it.

"Tell him I said thank you."

Red smiled knowingly before continuing back with her work. "You can tell him yourself. You'll most likely meet him at the meeting tonight."

Like Red, Belle had now gone back to her work, but continued to take part in the conversation."Meeting? Doesn't your grandmother usually go to those."

"She said her joints are bothering her something bad today; they flare up like this sometimes during the colder months. She asked me to go in her place."

Belle slowly looked back in Belle's direction. She slightly raised one of her eyebrows as she regarded her friend cautiously. "And I have to come as well?"

Red shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Well, she didn't exactly say you had to, but I figured it would be more fun if you came along."

"Red...I..."

After laying the shirt she had been cleaning on the clothes line, Red looked at Belle with a seriousness that neither of them had ever seen on her face before. "Isabelle...don't think I don't know. I know exactly what everyone is saying about you around here. Most of it I hear myself, though some of it I get second hand from Peter," a gentle laugh escaped Red's lips before she continued, "Peter's even asked on numerous occasions if I wanted him to set a few of them straight but, I don't want him dragging himself into this. Me and Granny are used to being outsiders, but he isn't."

Red put a hand on Belle's shoulder. As she spoke, she gently shook it as to help make Belle realize and understand. "We need to show them you're just as good as any one of them. That just because you're having this baby out of wedlock doesn't make you any less of a human being; it doesn't make you some kind of monster."

A loud and jubilant laughter session suddenly burst forth from inside Belle. She herself wasn't sure where it had come from, but she could do nothing to stop it, nor the tears that started streaming down her face. She was mildly aware of Red who was looking at her like she had finally crossed that line from sanity to insanity.

"Um...are you alright there Isabelle?"

Gasping for breath, Belle did her best to try and calm herself. "Yeah...It's...it's just..." Taking a giant gulp of air, she finally managed to regain control of herself and her voice. She wiped away the rest of the tears that continued to fall before her face wrinkled with a smile as bright as the autumn sun.

"It's nothing. You just reminded me of something I used to tell someone all the time. Your right, I'm not a monster and it's about time I started showing them that I'm not."

Red mirrored her friends smile and dove over and embraced her in a tight hug, relieved that whatever was bothering her seemed to have been exorcised and cast out to the four corners of the universe. She hated it when her friend was upset and Red had begun to notice that the weight of the world was slowly pressing down onto her shoulders. Belle was the type of person that should be able to be constantly happy. To see her shrouded in darkness of any kind was like snuffing out the light of the entire world.

"What in the world are you doing?"

Both Red and Belle loosed their grip on each other and turned to find Red's grandmother staring at them from the doorway.

"Leave Isabelle alone so she can finish her work. You yourself should be out collecting wood so we don't freeze to death this winter, or maybe it's that you really do want us to freeze. And how many times do I have to tell you to wear that cloak?"

Red heaved a huge sigh at her grandmother's constant intrusions and complaints. "I'm leaving right now Granny. And stop worrying so much. I'll get the wood before winter gets here, I _**promise**_."

Belle then watched as Red took up her cloak and made an elaborate scene of putting it back on. Granny looked like she wanted to say something else, but merely pursed her lips and shook her head in disbelief before retreating back inside. Once Red was sure she was safely out of earshot, she leaned in close to Belle and whispered, "I asked Peter to do the collecting for me so all I have to do is go meet him and act like I've done everything myself. Ingenious if I do say so. "

Belle got a mischievous look in her eye as she regarded her friend over the water basin. "You just wanted him to do your work so you could do something naughty together when you go see him."

Red's face got about as flushed as her namesake before she dipped her hands into the wash basin and flung a good amount of water in Belle's direction. Belle, looking quite surprised, burst out laughing again and retaliated in the same fashion. The laundry ended up being forgotten as the girls giggled liked school children and ended up using most of the water to wash themselves instead of the rest of the clothes that laid at their feet.

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The meeting was held in the town hall later that afternoon. The structure wasn't very large, second compared to the church, but it fit all of its occupants quite comfortably. A fire had been built in the hearth and a long table was set up near the front, at which the village elder and village head sat. Everyone else was situated on benches neatly lined in rows in the middle of the building, while Red and Belle, upon Belle's insistence, stood near the back.

After waiting to make sure everyone had ample time to arrive, the village head calmed everyone down and brought order and attention. He then called out a few prominent names to make sure these people were present and accounted for. Each and every name was accompanied by some form of acknowledgment except for one.

"Where is Widow Lucas?"

At this point, Red cleared her throat and stepped slightly forward before speaking. "My grandmother couldn't make it because of illness so she has sent us in her place." Red motioned to herself and Belle before stepping back to her original position.

Everyone in the main hall was completely silent as they continued to stare at both girls, some showing looks of disdain while others showed no emotion at all. Belle could feel herself start to fidget as everyone's gaze seemed to focus exclusively on her. It was like their eyes were burning holes into her skin, deep smoldering holes that could never heal. She could almost feel the heat as her skin seemed to turn a reddish hue, like the flames from their eyes were licking all over her skin.

The village head cleared his throat, "While I concur with your representation. I'm afraid I cannot say the same for your other half."

An incredulous look came over Red as she dared to challenge a statement given to her by the head of the village. "Are you saying she has to go?" Silence greeted her question, but it was all the answer Red needed. "No," Red shook her head violently and waved her hand in front of her, "No, she has every right to be here as I do."

The village head closed his eyes to steady himself for the pending tirade her felt coming his way. He then attempted to speak calmly as to ward of the rage he could feel begin to radiate off Widow Lucas' granddaughter. "Red..."

"NO!"

Red's scream cut through the air like a sword through flesh. Belle did her best to try and discreetly calm her friend, but she was having none of it.

"You think you're all better than her because she's having this child out of wedlock. If anything, I believe this makes_** her**_ better than all of you. It takes a strong woman to stand up and raise a baby on her own. And it takes and even stronger woman to face, not only her personal demons, but the demons that lay out here as well," Red motioned to all that sat before her before continuing, "If anyone who doesn't find what I speak of as truth, I dare them to speak out now."

Everyone in the hall exchanged glances but no one spoke a word out against her. The village head crossed his arms and gave an exasperated sigh. "Nevertheless Red, I'm afraid unless someone of higher rank vouches for her, my decision still stands."

"I'll vouch for her."

Heads turned and everyone focused on Peter. He was standing amongst the sea of people, looking at both the village head and elder with calm determination.

"Not only myself, but I speak for my father as well. We have spoken of this and he agrees that Isabelle has earned her rightful place as a member of this village."

This time the village elder spoke, his gentle voice as strong and powerful as any other. "You do know what it will mean then if she fails to live up to what is expected of her Peter."

"I do know. I also know what kind of a person Isabelle is. She's a good friend of mine as well as Red's. She pulls more of her fair share of work and I've seen the way she interacts with the young ones when they're not being pulled away by their parents. She might be going to be a single parent but she's going to be a fine one. One that, some day soon, I'll be able to use as an example for when I raise my own children."

The elder looked thoughtful for a moment before smiling and nodding his head, seemingly finding Peter's explanation acceptable. The village head looked as if he was about to argue, but a firm hand was raised indicating no further discussion was allowed on the matter. Resting his chin atop his hands, he then regarded Belle as if she was the only one in the room with him.

"You understand child what it means for Peter and his father to vouch for you. If you in anyway bring shame on this village or yourself, you will not only be exiled from this place, but cause permanent shame and scorn to befall his family. Do you accept?"

Uncertainty was etched all over Belle's features as she went back and forth from looking at the village elder to Peter. She never expected anything like this from him and wasn't quite sure how to react. Sure, the prospect of finally being accepted by everyone was alluring, but there was no way she could allow Peter to put so much stock in her. She was a broken woman. Not only that, but she was giving birth to the Dark Ones child and she knew that, once people found out that little tidbit, everyone would see that she be exiled to the farthest borders of the kingdoms with no hope of return. Regardless though, as she looked into Peter's calm and smiling face, something told her it would be wrong of her to refuse such a chance, a chance at a life and a chance for her child.

"I accept."

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Once again, this story has taken another unexpected turn, mostly while I was trying to fall asleep last night, so I'm going to have to go rearrange a few things in my notes, as well as add and delete a few things. Also, I have two projects I need to be working on in the next coming week so if the next chapter isn't up for a while, please don't kill me ^_^;;

Also, just in case anyone was curious, I discovered that soap was originally made out of wood ash and animal fat.


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors Note: **Why do we have to wait two weeks to see the new episode of OUAT? Why?! *shakes fist at sky* Well until then, I finally have had time to write out and go over the next chapter. I know it's not the same but hopefully it will help tide you guys over til Sunday. I also might end up posting the next one this week as well since I already have half of it written.

I apologize for this being so late. After I finally got done with the projects in English and Computer class, a bout of some illness decided to come play with me and, technically, I'm still not over whatever it is I've caught. T.T Good news is I got a perfect score on the PowerPoint on Belle (Wo0t!) but have no idea what I got on my Paradise Lost paper however...

**Disclaimer: **Don't own OUAT and I don't own Vertical Horizon's song "Children's Lullaby". I'm just borrowing bits and pieces of each to feed my muse, who then spits out this stuff.

**Chapter Six**

It could be admitted that Fall wasn't the most practical season to be sitting out having a picnic. It was more of a time to be bundled indoors reading a good book or busying oneself with household chores. However, Peter, Red and Belle were not swayed by the biting winds and were currently sitting atop an animal skin blanket, enjoying the plethora of goodies supplied by Red's grandmother. They had set up camp beyond the boarder, away from all the uproar and excitement that was suffocating the village. Their annual Harvest Festival was coming up and, according to Red and Peter, all the villagers got a bit on edge during the set up.

Belle sat in silent wonder as the three of them lounged amongst the sea of color. She couldn't believe just how much her life had changed in such short a time, both emotionally and physically. She had gone from living an extremely sheltered existence to being thrust into life's harsh reality. She was given a taste at the Dark Castle, but then was forcefully submerged by events she may or may not of had any control over; she was no longer sure at this point. There were times when she seriously considered giving up, but her newly acquired friendships, as well as the life that was currently growing inside of her, had made all of the suffering and heartache well worth it.

She smiled warmly as she and Red watched Peter attempt to throw berries into the air and catch them in his mouth. He had bragged about how he could manage it, but so far had yet to land a single one. Both girls stifled giggles as a recent attempt he had over shot and had landed in his eye, causing him to cry out and shake his head wildly. Red then made a playful comment to Belle about how showing off to a couple of cute girls was making him nervous. Belle had laughed heartily while Peter's cheeks became tinted by a deep crimson.

Belle hugged her gray cloak a bit closer to her persons as a particular nasty wind gust cut through her. She watched as Red and Peter responded the same, Red even going so far as to leap up and start jumping up and down to warm herself. Belle gave a short laugh as she watched her friend dance around. Red responded by sticking her tongue out and throwing one of the raspberries she held in retaliation. More laughing rang out as the offending fruit bounced off Belle's swollen belly and landed in the patch of grass next to her.

"So, have you figured out a name yet?" Red continued to jump up and down for warmth as she talked, occasionally sharing more berries with Belle by gently tossing them in her direction.

Belle caught one of the raspberries and deposited it between her delicate lips. She closed her eyes as she savored the soft, velvety texture. A pleasant shiver went down her spine as the fruit exploded in her mouth, coating her tongue in its pink juice. Opening her eyes, she looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head.

"No. I haven't really been thinking about it, honestly."

Red made her way back over and comfortably situated herself in front of Belle. A look of pure excitement radiating from her. "Well it's a good thing you have me because I have. I was thinking...Rose if it's a girl and Zyan if it's a boy."

Belle took a moment to consider. She got why Red suggested Rose, it was Belle's favorite flower after all, but what did Zyan mean? Red smiled before responding to her inquiry.

"It means little king."

Belle looked incredulous as she barked a laugh. "Little king? I don't really know about that one." As cute as it was, Belle wasn't sure if naming a child of Rumpelstiltskin's, "little king", would be appropriate.

Peter looked quite smug before putting his two cents into the conversation. "I think you should name it Peter, after me."

Red playfully shoved Peter in the arm. "Oh you would."

The jubilant laughter of the three friends rang out and filled the clearing. Even after the noise died down, the joy and love that fueled it still lingered in the air around them. Peter reached into the basket that they used to carry their food in and pulled out bread, cheese and meat for the three of them. Usually, the bread would only be accompanied by a thin slice of cheese, but Granny had had included a small portion of pork meat as a little treat for all the hard work the girls had done over the past few weeks.

As they sat enjoying their meal, Belle noticed a serious look come over Red's face. It concerned her as they were only smiling and laughing with each other moments ago. Looking back, Belle couldn't find anything in their conversations that would of caused such a drastic change in her friends demeanor. Perhaps it was something that had been bothering her before now; something that, by the looks of it, she really needed to get off her chest. Belle turned and saw that Peter has also noticed the change and seemed to be just as worried. She decided to extend her hand and try and help Red ease into it.

"Is everything alright Red? You know, if there's anything wrong you can tell us."

Red pursed her lips, seemingly debating on whether or not to divulge what was swirling around in her head. "Well, there has been something on my mind, something that I have been contemplating over," Red bit her bottom lip before a smile of excitement suddenly came over her, "I want to kill the wolf."

Peter looked absolutely amazed at Red's admission. "What?"

"I know, I know. It's just...I'm tired of living in fear all the time. I want to go out, have adventure, live my own life. And the only way Granny is ever going to let that happen is if the wolf is dead."

Peter was in total disbelief about what he was hearing. He chanced a glance over at Belle to see the exact same disbelieving look all over her face. It made him feel a little bit better to know he wasn't alone in his feelings and it gave him the strength to speak up.

"Red, you know that many a warrior from our village has tried and failed to kill the wolf. What makes you believe you can succeed where they've all failed?"

Red's excitement melted away into pride as she let her friends in on the ingenious plan she had thought up. "You guys know about the giant rock formation that lies north of here right? Well, it's been rumored that the wolfs den is somewhere near there. Now, whenever the men go out hunting, they sometimes set traps for their catch correct? Well, I've set up my own traps all around that area and, once the wolf is snared in one of them, I'll be able to easily kill it; I'll be able to free our village from this accursed nightmare."

Belle couldn't believe what she was hearing. Red was actually considering about personally hunting down the wolf herself and killing it with her own bare hands. And the fact she had already set up the traps for it was even more surprising.Belle understood all about wanting to be able to go out and see the world, but the way Red had planned to go about it was suicide. No, she had lost Rumpelstiltskin, she had lost the only man she had ever truly loved and she was _**not **_going to loose anyone else.

"Red, you absolutely can not do this," she reached out and took both of Red's hands in hers, desperation clearly evident, not only on her face, but with every word that cascaded from her lips, "I understand all about wanting to go out and have adventure, but just think about what you are implying here. There has got to be another way."

"There is no other way. You heard what Peter said. Almost all the men have tried to kill it and failed."

Belle heaved a delicate sigh, her bright blue eyes misting up with unshed tears. "Red, you're the only friend I have in the entire world. And if there's any chance that I could loose that, any chance at all..." Belle took a deep breath to still the tears she could feel threatening to fall, "Red I can't loose you. I can't loose someone else to something I can prevent."

Red was fully prepared to argue but, after seeing how distraught Belle looked at the mere thought of her going though with her elaborate plan, she couldn't find the strength nor the will. Red heaved a heavy sigh of defeat. She gave a half smile to Belle who continued to keep a vice like grip on her hands.

"If it makes you that uncomfortable and upset Isabelle, I guess I can forget about it."

Belle's striking blue eyes almost bore a hole right through Red, her jaw clenched in determination."Promise me. Promise me you wont go through with it."

Red stared Belle straight in the eye and shook their still connected hands up and down with each word, giving them as much emphasis as possible. "I. Promise. You. I. Won't. Go. Through. With. It," Red then slipped her hands away and placed them securely in her lap. A gentle smile was given, one that would hopefully put her best friend's mind at ease. It seemed to work, as the muscles in Belle's shoulders began to relax and her facial features became not so hard.

Peter gave his own sigh of relief as he took his attention away for a moment. From the positioning of the sun in the sky, he could tell it was late afternoon hours and they should most likely start heading back to the village soon. He was sure Granny was expecting both Red and Belle to help with the cooking and he himself had to get back and give aid to his father. Upon pointing this out to the both of them, they each nodded their heads in agreement and, after finishing their small meal and gathering everything up, began making their way back into the chaos that was their village.

###

_Belle had absolutely no idea where she was. The air around her was thick and heavy with fog, making any form of sight beyond mere inches from her impossible. Belle watched as the thick smoke swirled around her, twisting itself into numerous shapes, almost like it was a living entity. She noticed she was wearing nothing but her nightwear but this particular piece was quite foreign to her. It was a creamy white and was hardly modest. A low neckline in front, adorned with lace, showed off a good amount of cleavage. The bottom trim barely covered her knees and it was held to her persons by two small straps over her shoulders. A gentle breeze fluttered the fabric and drew her attention to the soft, silk feel that caressed her skin laying underneath. Looking down, Belle noticed that her feet were bare and how each individual blade of grass seemed to grasp at her toes, pulling herself even closer to the earth._

_She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there, when delicate music began filling the air around her. It was unlike any music Belle had ever heard before. It was soft, almost childlike, and it filled her with a warmth that kept even the harshest wind from tearing into her skin. Belle smiled as she closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the tune. She swayed her body back and forth, occasionally twirling when the desire overtook her. _

_The music seemed to be getting louder and louder as time went by. Belle wasn't sure why, but she was suddenly overcome by this uncontrollable urge to locate where it was coming from. She willed herself to stop in her dance and began slowly making her way in the direction the melody seemed to be coming from. It was almost like she was being guided by a presence, something that was not of this world yet Belle found that she was not afraid._

_The fog was beginning to thin out as she got closer and closer to the source of the melody. It wasn't until Belle found herself right on top of it that she was actually able to discern a few objects in her surroundings. From what she could tell, she was standing in a grassy field covered in flowers. She could make out the outlines of trees in her peripheral but couldn't see anything past that. What really caught her attention however, was the giant pond that was situated right in front of her. It's surface was like glass, not a single imperfection marring it. Groups of lily pads seemed to hover just above the surface. It had a few reeds sticking out along the edges with a few small boulders barely managing to stick their heads out above the water. _

_It was here that she finally noticed the source of where the haunting yet enchanting melody was coming from. A child, no older than eight or nine, was skipping her way along the waters edge and seemed to be humming a little tune to herself. She was dressed in nothing but a simple white gown decorated with images of tiny roses. Her hair was layered over her left eye, leaving her right blue eye completely uncovered. The waves of auburn reached all the way down to the middle of her back and shone like the sun itself was housed in ever one of her curls. Belle watched, seemingly entranced by the child. For some reason, Belle felt like she had seen her before, like she was some long lost childhood friend or family member. She wanted desperately to call out to her, but found that she had no voice to do as such. _

_After a few moments, the humming turned into singing and Belle found herself listening intently to the words that drifted out from the little form. The child was singing as if she wanted the whole world to hear her song, to listen to the words as they were deposited upon the wind and carried out to the far reaches of the realms that laid beyond... _

_Little girl was down by the waterside  
The sun so hot and the roses so red where she lie  
As little boys sit and watch as she twirls all around  
Sunny smiles not a raincloud could bring that girl down _

_Little boy sits alone as he sings in the dark  
Wondering if his own dreams had pulled them apart  
He sings a song of tomorrow he never can see  
Mostly sings of a lost little girl's memory _

_Little girl on the street with nobody around  
Has her head in the air dirty feet on the ground  
She shuts her eyes and she wonders is this a mistake  
Now she's gone from the warmth of her little boy days  
_

_Little boy prays to God to answer his song  
To hold his hand when everyone else's are gone  
Time goes by and the wounds slowly turn into scars  
So he makes his final wish on the midnight stars_

Little girl won't you hear my cry  
Won't you come back home  
To your lover's lullaby 

_At the songs end, the child now stood right in front of Belle, no longer skipping merely to and fro, but standing perfectly still. Ever so slowly, Belle watched as the little girl turned her head to look at her. It was like she had only just realized someone was watching her and was now most enthralled by the sight. For a while, they each stood perfectly still, eyes never once wavering from the other. Belle's gaze was broken however when a gentle breeze cascaded across the clearing, whipping her chocolate curls about her face. She managed to set her sights back on the young girl just in time to see something that both shocked and unnerved her to the core._

_Both a blue and amber eye were casting their gaze upon her now. The blue eye was so bright in its color that all others looked dull in comparison. If her right eye was as magnificent however, it still could not hold a candle to her left. A single stare from her left eye was both majestic and powerful. Upon closer inspection one could clearly see it was more animal than human; the amber shimmered around a small pupil that seemed to pierce and look right into your soul. Belle used to get lost in eyes like those, eyes that she knew only one other human being possessed. The utter shock must of amused the child for a great smile appeared replacing her stoic expression, a faint haunting giggle ringing out to fill the clearing they were in._

_Belle was suddenly overcome by this desire to move closer. She needed to be able to touch her, to feel her form underneath her fingers. She wanted to feel coarse hair as it slipped through those same fingers, to see that the child was actually real and not just a illusion brought on by some illness or enchantment. As she made to reach out for her however, the child faded away into the darkness, leaving Belle confused and very much alone. _

_#######################################################_

I want to thank the user Baelfire for giving me the idea that Belle should have a dream about her child. :) Excellent idea good sir/ma'am! Also, I wonder if Red is going to keep her promise to Belle...hmmmm...*wink*


	7. Chapter 7

**Authors Note: **I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! X3 I did if only because I got to eat lots of food lol! Have enough leftovers to last me the rest of the year I think. Actually, the holiday, plus the fact I was without internet the latter half of the day Friday, was the reason I didn't get this up as fast as I wanted. But no matter as it is here now and hopefully shall be an enjoyment for all of you! ^-^

**Disclaimer: **Only thing that belongs to me is my muse and all the random objects she conjures up to beat me upside the head with to get the creative juices flowing.

**Chapter Seven**

Slowly, Belle could feel herself come out of dreamland and back into the reality of life. She pealed her eyes open to no more than slits and slowly took in her and Red's bedroom. Her whole body felt heavier than iron and the child inside of her was squirming around like there was no tomorrow. She clenched her eyes shut and did her best to roll over onto her left side, placing a hand upon her swollen belly as she tried to will the baby to calm down. It seemed to work for no sooner had she started the inner mantra of "calm down, calm down", did the baby's thrashing cool down to a gentle flutter.

Belle knew there was no mistaking it. She had just seen her child, her daughter. Belle could feel as a huge smile overtook her face. She had looked so much like Rumpelstiltskin. Her hair and skin had an earthly glow that could only be attributed to the magic that was obviously coursing through her veins and her stare was just as powerful. Granted she had attributes of herself as well, but there was no mistaking who the baby's father really was.

As Belle lay half-awake, continuing to run her palm over the swollen mass that was her belly, her mind wandered over to the lullaby her daughter had been singing. It didn't sound like any lullaby Belle had ever heard. Come to think of it, it didn't sound much like a lullaby at all. It sounded more like a story set to music, but a story about what? Was her daughter trying to convey something to her the only way she knew how? Belle's sleep fogged brain did its best to try and grasp the lyrics she could feel fluttering along the outskirts of her consciousness. Every time she thought she had them in her grasp however, they would slip away back into the recesses of her mind. Belle stifled a yawn as she began slowly drifting away from thoughts about her daughter. If she was indeed trying to convey something, Belle wished she could of just told her instead of being so cryptic; another thing her and her father had in common.

Rolling onto her back once more, and then onto her right side, Belle was fully prepared to try and get a few more hours of sleep, when she noticed something that made her heart jump into her throat. Red was missing. Usually this wouldn't of bothered Belle in the slightest, but after their conversation that afternoon about the wolf, Belle couldn't help but get a sinking feeling in her stomach. That sinking feeling dropped all the way down to her toes when she noticed the window was wide open.

Fully awake now, Belle eased herself out of bed and covered herself up before venturing over toward the open window. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary so maybe Red just opened it for a little air. Turning around, Belle's bare feet pattered over to the bedroom door. Opening it enough to be able to look around but not disturb anybody, Belle saw that the main room was completely empty. Her fear boiled to a crescendo as she retreated back into the bedroom. She kept reassuring herself that Red had promised her she wouldn't go after the wolf, but the open window and empty rooms were making herself doubt said promise held any water.

Anger was starting to well up at the thought of Red breaking their promise, but Belle decided to wait until she found her before allowing those emotions to overtake her; she needed to focus on locating her friend before she did anything foolish, if she hadn't already. Closing the door as quietly as possible, Belle walked over to her discarded clothing from that morning and hastily changed out of her nightwear. The whole time, Belle couldn't help but wonder if she had completely lost her sanity. Here she was, six months pregnant and was seriously contemplating going out into a forest in the pitch of night. It was for Red though and, when it came to her friends, Belle had the tendency to let her logic fall to the wayside.

She wasn't sure how, but Belle had somehow managed to lift herself up and out of the window and was now standing on the edge of the woods. She hadn't thought to bring a lantern, but thankfully the light from the full moon was just bright enough to illuminate the pathways that wound their way along the forest floor. Taking one last breath to steady her nerves, Belle began making her way through the shadows and in the direction she believed would lead her to Red.

Overhead, nude tree branches swayed in the wind looking like bony hands reaching out for unsuspecting victims. What leaves some did have, fell down looking like blood dripping from their fingertips. Belle did her best not to let the darkness totally warp her vision as she needed to be keeping an eye out for Red, not getting immersed and overtaken by the shadows and their evil tricks. Reaching out, Belle placed her hand against the rough bark of a nearby tree as she walked down a particularly steep stretch. Keeping her wits about her, she began swiveling her head back in forth, looking for any sign of movement that could have been her friend.

A sharp noise alerted her to something off to her right. Turning towards it, Belle saw nothing out of the ordinary, but a snap of a twig indicated that something was most certainly there. Belle was just about to call out Red's name, but the syllables got caught in her throat. Two yellow orbs were staring back at her, a low rumble of a growl emanating from the darkness. She watched in horror as the darkness slowly transformed into a beast, the one that had been haunting these woods for as long as anyone in the village could remember. No sound, not even a single scream was uttered as the wolf prowled up from between the trees, its gaze focused solely on Belle and her trembling form.

Belle could feel and hear the blood pounding in her ears as the wolf slunk closer, its eyes never once leaving her. To be honest, the wolf was the farthest thing from her mind this whole time. Even though it was the reason Red had been out here, Belle had been so focused on just finding _**her**_ that she completely overlooked the possibility she herself could of run into the wolf. Belle swallowed hard as she backed herself up against the trunk of a nearby tree. And now she was going to pay dearly for that mistake.

It was almost like everything had decided to start going in slow motion. Without any warning, the wolf suddenly pulled back and made its killing strike at Belle. A scream, and a shield made from her hands, was the only defense Belle had. Or so she thought. In the back of her mind, Belle felt a surge of energy bubbling in the depths of her gut. Said energy surged from that point out to the rest of her body and exploded through every pore of her skin. The energy was so powerful that, it not only knocked the wolf back, but sent Belle's head reeling in response. Once her head had cleared, Belle was able to see her assailant attempting to pick itself up, obviously just as dazed as she was. What really caught her attention however, was the giant purple dome that seemed to materialize around her. Every so often some strange symbols would flash in and out along its surface. Each drew Belle's attention but she had absolutely no idea what any of them meant. It was a foreign script, much more foreign than anything she encountered in the library at the Dark Castle.

Belle's entire body was radiating absolute fear as she watched the wolf lift itself back up on shaking yet firm legs. A deep and rumbling snarl rang out as the wolf continued in its advance, only this time with more caution. This new obstacle obviously did nothing but irritate the beast as it continued to growl low in its throat. Belle's eyes never once lost focus as the wolf paced back and forth in front of the barrier, annoyed at the separation between it and a midnight snack. Occasionally it would stick a paw out or the tip of its snout, almost like it was testing the strength and durability of this blockade. It even tried chewing its way through but received a nasty electric shock as a result.

It seemed like hours were just floating by as Belle and the wolf continued their staring match between a wall of haze. Belle dug her fingernails into the dirt as she begged, pleaded that someone would come and save her. She had no idea how long this purple mass of protection would hold out, or if she could even conjure up another one if it fell. She just hoped that whatever was going to happen that it would happen quick. Sitting here waiting and dealing with the thousands of emotions was far worse.

Almost like her wish had been heard, a loud unknown noise suddenly reverberated through the trees. Whatever it was seemed to grab the wolf's attention and, deeming it more of a prize than what he was currently faced with, bounded back into the darkness whence it came.

All alone now, Belle just continued to stay frozen in her seat between two giant roots. Her heart was pounding to the point she was sure it would erupt from her chest. Her entire body was quivering like a leaf, unwilling to move, even long after the wolf has disappeared. Little by little however, Belle willed her breathing under control and her heart and mind to stop racing. It was at this point, that the barrier separating her from the outside world began to fade until it totally dissipated into nothingness, like it had never been there in the first place. Belle knew different though. She knew, without a doubt now, that her baby could use magic and was just as powerful, if not more so, than Belle believed the father to be. She hadn't really ever seen him use magic, aside from the turning straw into gold thing, but she highly doubted he was able to conjure things up like magical barriers.

It felt like an eternity had gone by before Belle was able to start collecting herself and begin her hurried journey back toward the village. She winced as branch after branch lashed out and cut at her face and arms but the pain they brought was nothing compared to what she was feeling on the inside. As she hobbled along, Belle could do nothing but envision the wolf running toward her and her body exploding with a power that both enthralled and scared the living daylights out of her.

Emerging from the forest, Belle did her best to hurry in between houses and down the dirt streets before coming upon the sanctuary that was her home. She didn't even stop running as she burst through the door and, would of kept going, if she did not find herself colliding into a solid form. Granny looked on in shock as Belle stood quivering in her arms. When she had asked her what was wrong, she watched as Belle swiftly looked up to gaze into her face. Utter panic and horror had overtaken Belle's features and Belle's scrambled mind did its best to register where she was, who she was with and that she was finally safe. Not much more was able to enter her mind however, before she found herself collapsing into gentle yet strong arms; the strain on her body being just too much, causing her to black out.

###

It took the rest of the night and most of the next day before Belle finally awoke. It was only when natures paintbrush splotched colors of red, yellow and orange into the sky did Belle's consciousness slowly advance from the inner depths of her mind and allow her to open her eyes. The beautiful colors of twilight weren't her only greeter back into the world of the living. She was also met by a tear streaked Red at her bedside and a none so pleased Granny shuffling about the house. When Red had finally noticed Belle's awakening, a well of emotions exploded from her, startling her grandmother and causing her to literally drop whatever it was that she was doing. Quick paced movement indicated her approach and, it wasn't until Granny was in the room, was Red able to get a hold on her emotions.

A thousand questions started coming her way via Red, but they were all shushed away by her grandmother. She had even gone so far as to command Red from the room. For once, Belle was actually happy for Granny's forcefulness. Right now, her senses were being overloaded and it was more than her aching mind could handle at the moment. She sighed as a cool cloth was placed along her brow and she was helped into a more comfortable position. Once she was settled however, the questioning started, on both ends.

Belle tentatively looked over at Granny and had asked her what had happened. The last she remembered was being in the woods, but everything past that was shrouded in darkness. Granny heaved a heavy sigh as she went into the story about how Belle had come bursting through the house looking like she had seen a ghost. Pale white and shaking, she had collapsed and had been asleep for about a day. Whatever it was that had warranted such a reaction had ended up causing great stress on her body and she had actually been down with a fever. Granny had even admitted it was touch and go there for a while, but everything seemed to calm down a few hours before.

It was Granny's turn now to ask questions, and many did she have, however she decided on crunching them down into two simple ones:

"In the name of all that in sacred, what were you doing outside at such an hour and what in the world happened?"

Instinctively, Belle's hands went to cover her baby. Images of the wolf's attack and the magic her daughter had used to save her flashed before her eyes. Something told Belle that it probably wasn't a grand idea to divulge what was going through her head. She'd probably be labeled as some wicked sorceress who's child was the bringer of destruction on their realm. And who knows what would happen to Peter and his family. They had put their reputation and way of life on the line for her and Belle was not about to be the cause of the destruction of their lives. She also thought about Red and how telling her grandmother about her wanting to kill the wolf would only increase the hold she knew Granny already had over her. Plus, aside from the emotional stress, Red seemed to be alright so Belle didn't see much harm in omitting some truths, just this once.

Belle took a moment to relax her body and gather her thoughts before answering. She quickly told her that she had awoken in the middle of the night and had decided to go for a walk. The baby had been quite upset and she thought some fresh air and movement would calm it down. As for what had happened, Belle had admitted to seeing the wolf. She had seen it kill and, the sight had frightened her so horribly, that she held nothing in her mind but to get back to the safety of the cottage as quickly as possible.

Granny had her hands on her hips and had raised one of her eyebrows in response. For a moment, Belle was worried that the intellect and experienced woman would see right through her. However, Granny merely sighed and scolded her for going out, but she was glad everything was alright now. Belle nodded and readily admitted it was a stupid thing for her to do and she most certainly would _**not**_ being doing it again.

Outside, Red was huddled against the door frame and had only come back inside to sit with Belle once Granny had left. She had heard everything and her emotions were strung out even more by the ordeal her friend had supposedly gone through. Red carefully approached her, afraid that the slightest movement might cause Belle to faint again. Belle noticed this and exhaled out of her nose, a gentle smile forming to help ease the tension.

"It's alright Red, your walking isn't going to upset me."

No sooner had the go ahead been uttered from her lips did Red sprint on over to her bedside. She threw her arms around Belle in a tight embrace, fresh tears streaming down her face, relieved that her friend was alright. Belle winced slightly at her strength and did her best to pry Red's arms from around her neck before she suffocated. Setting her down next to her lounging form, Belle carefully wiped away the tears as they continued to cascade down Red's face. Red did her best to halt them as well though the trembling in her voice was an indicator she was still very much overwhelmed.

"Belle, I am so sorry. I should have been there for you when you went out! I mean, the wolf could of killed you!"

The irritation from the night before suddenly came flooding back. Looking at the bedroom door to make sure Granny wasn't on her way in, Belle pursed her lips and asked Red the one question she knew the answer to, but it was something she needed to hear.

"Where...were you last night?"

Red wiped away the remainder of her tears as she took a few breaths to steady her emotions. "I was with Peter."

Well that certainly wasn't the answer Belle was expecting. "What?"

Red nodded before going into her long explanation. "He had come to my window while you and Granny were cleaning up after dinner. He asked me if I wanted to meet up with him later that night and, of course, I said yes,"Red shook her head as a few more tears managed to escape, "I should of said no, I should of told him another night, that it was a bad idea..." Red leaned forward and placed a hand on one of Belle's knees, "I am so sorry."

Belle shook her head as she removed her hands from under the sheets to place them over Red's. "You have nothing to be sorry about Red. If anything, I should be the one apologizing."

If the situation was different, the look of complete confusion on Red's face would of caused Belle to collapse in laughter. The atmosphere however, told her to save such a reaction for a later date. It also told her an explanation was very much needed.

"When I woke up I _**thought**_ you had gone back on your promise. I carried around a lot of anger in that short amount of time and, for that, I'm sorry. I shouldn't of jumped to a conclusion without letting you explain first."

There was a long pause where nothing was said while both girls digested all that had been told to them. It wasn't until one of them cracked a smile that laughter broke through the tension and the air around them cleared back to the way it used to be. Once the laughter had died down, Red sprung up and went across the room to grab both their cloaks. Coming back, she slipped her own on and handed Belle her gray one.

"Come on, let's go see if Granny will let us go outside and get some fresh air while there's still some light left. Wolf's time ended last night so it shouldn't be that big of a deal."

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Mwahahahaha! Powerful baby is powerful. Imagine what she is going to be like once she is out of the womb ;)

Have about half of Chapter 8 done and, since there be no holidays or internet fuck ups planned, will have that baby up soon!


	8. Chapter 8

**Authors Note:** Here be the next chapter! :D I had a lot of fun writing this one. Not as much fun as the last one when I got to play with the babies power a bit, but pretty close. You'll see why when you read. *wink wink*

Also, an English project and finals are beginning to rear their ugly heads so my apologies if I don't get the next chapter up as soon as I'd like to. Sadly, my school take precedence over my writing at the moment. :(

**Disclaimer: **Once Upon A Time belongs to their respective owners. Do not own. Want to own, but do not own.

**Chapter Eight**

It had taken some reassuring –and a little bit of arguing on Red's part– but Granny had finally relented in letting Belle and Red take a stroll outside while the sun set. On the condition however, that they be back by sundown. Wolf's time or not, Red's grandmother didn't like the idea of two young girls being out alone at night. For the most part, their walk had been shrouded in silence, but it was more of a comfortable silence then anything. They both had a pretty rough day, to say the least, so just relaxing and enjoying each others company was enough to satisfy them. Currently they both were walking arm in arm down the dirt pathways that wound through the village.

"So tell me about yourself."

"Hmmm?" Belle was drawn away from her thoughts at the sound of Red's voice. She wasn't quite sure what is was that she was thinking about. She was mostly just focusing on the grains of dirt at her feet as they walked. Though, if she wanted to be honest, the events of the previous night were still weighing heavily on her.

Red had noticed the weight that was pressing down on Belle's shoulders and, while she wasn't sure what was going round in her little friends head, she wanted to do her best to distract her from it. "Well, we've known each other for a few months now and, other than your name and," Red made big exaggerated circles around her own belly causing the two girls to laugh, "I really don't know much about you."

Belle tried to look as nonchalant as possible. "There isn't much to tell really."

Red barked a laugh and shook the arm she was holding. "Aw come on, I deserve a little peak into the mystery that is Isabelle. There's got to be something more than good looks and a swollen belly. Tell me about yourself; let me in on those secrets behind those blue eyes of yours."

Belle couldn't hold back a groan as Red pressed the one subject that was like walking on egg shells for her. What to tell, what not to tell; her whole life story was one big gamble and she was never sure which hand she should play. Red was right though, she did deserve more than what was on the surface.

It took one last look at Red with her pleading eyes however before Belle was ready to spill.

"Alright."

Red did a miniature fist pump as she was unable to contain the excitement over finally breaking through the thick walls that surrounded Belle. Ever since Red had found her and brought her back to the village, Belle had shrouded herself in secrecy. Red had respected her privacy and didn't pry however, after the shock of almost loosing her closest friend, she was going to be damned if Belle was going to leave her with nothing.

Belle raised her eyebrows at Red's reaction but decided to proceed with her story. "Well, I originally lived with my mother and father. My mother died when I was very young and then it was just me and my papa. I got engaged, decided it wasn't really for me, so I left."

Alright, so she wasn't spilling the entire truth, but Belle figured leaving out the part about Rumpelstiltskin was for the best. She loved Red like a sister, but she still planned to be far away from her and her village before the baby was born. She still didn't know if there was going to be any dangers with the pregnancy and it was going to be hard to explain the fact her baby daughter could use magic.

Red continued to listen intently as she pointed to Belle's very pregnant belly. "Was your fiance the one who..."

It took every ounce of self control for Belle _**not **_to collapse onto the ground and laugh her ass off. "Oh dear gods no, that...that was someone else."

Both girls shared a good laugh before Red continued the conversation. "So, you left home because you didn't want to get married?"

"Well, it wasn't just about the marriage," Belle took a moment to collect her thoughts, trying to think of the best way to explain things, "I wanted freedom, adventure, to live my own life. And I realized that the only way I was going to get that was if I finally took control."

Red made a noise of understanding as she placed her head on Belle's shoulder as they walked, a solemn look suddenly overtaking her features. "I understand that feeling all to well. I would give anything to be able to leave this place and go off on my own."

Belle stopped walking so she could turn and face her friend. She put both hands on her shoulders and gave her a knowing smile. "Don't you worry Red. I have a feeling that you'll be able to leave this place some day soon."

The solemn face on Red slowly disappeared as she gave Belle a look of hope. "You really think so?"

Belle nodded. "I know so. Call it a...gut feeling."

It was Red's turn to raise her eyebrows as she regarded Belle and what she had said. "Are you sure that's just not the baby?"

Belle shook her head and laughed before looping her arm back around Red's and tugged so they could continue their walk. Sunset was close to being over, but neither girls were quite ready to head back yet. They figured they'd walk to the edge of the village before turning back. They were halted in their journey however, when they noticed one of the village men coming out one of the house. Normally, neither would think anything of it, but the time of day and the fact he looked like he was sneaking around, made Belle and Red very curious.

As they watched him head into the forest, Red developed the ingenious idea to follow him and see what he was up to. Belle admittedly wasn't to fond of the idea, but Red argued that he could be up to something bad and, as occupants of the village, it was their duty to find out what and report it to the village head. Why they just couldn't go tell the village head what they saw and have him go check in it was totally lost of Belle, but then again, Red's explanation was most likely just a way to justify her curiosity and an attempt to put Belle's unease to rest.

They both slowly made their way into the forest, following the same path as their mystery man. The light from the moon was somewhat dull that night, so Belle was unsure about how far they would actually be able to go. While the villager had a lantern with him, her and Red had nothing. The growing darkness didn't seem to bother Red though, as she weaved around each tree and shrub like it was the middle of the day.

Red suddenly stopped mid step and, if Belle hadn't been a good amount of steps behind, she would of most certainly run right into her. She was just about to ask her what was wrong until her eye's caught what caused the disruption in their movements. A light was dancing among the trees, its orange and yellow glow coating the surrounding area in its color. Belle surmised it was a blaze from a fire and was hopefully coming from a pit and not the trees themselves. Red turned around and whispered to Belle to keep her distance while she went on ahead. Belle silently nodded in understanding and leaned against a nearby tree for rest.

Each step brought Red all that closer, but with it greater anxiety. It wasn't until she was right on top of the light source did she stop and crouch behind some foliage so as to not be seen. Easing a few branches aside, Red's emerald eyes focused on a sight most mesmerizing. Two men were standing in a clearing, one being the villager while the other was someone Red had never laid eyes on before, and probably never will again. His clothes were almost exotic looking, definitely nothing Red had ever seen in this realm. His hair was short and wispy, strands occasionally detaching from the rest and caressing his skin, skin that shone with flecks of gold when the light from the fire hit his face just right. What really caught her attention though were his eyes. They were amber in color and their stare reminded Red of an animal hunting its prey. Flames danced in those eyes and Red could almost feel the dark power radiating from him. It made chills go down her spine. Both were definitely in some kind of dispute for he was looking mighty displeased. The other, the man from her village, looked scared out of his mind and was pleading almost like his life was on the line.

"Please, you don't understand!"

A soft and delicate gasp alerted Red to Belle's presence behind her. Turning round, Red quickly took hold of Belle's cloak and jerked her until she was safely hidden behind her and the brush. Both froze as the man with the amber eye's slowly brought his gaze in their direction. It seem like hours went by as they held their breath, his eye's still locked on their hiding spot. He attention was soon broke however, when the man he was with once again spoke.

"Please, you don't...that is, I mean to say..."

"Oh I think I understand perfectly well there dearie."

Belle continued to look on in utter shock, her hands clasped over her mouth to keep herself from releasing any more noises. It had been months since she had laid eyes on the wild and lean form of Rumpelstiltskin. She never expected to see him again, yet here she was mere feet away. That fact alone sent her mind reeling. Hands over her mouth or not, she couldn't help the tiny question that escaped. It was a question that hinted at her disbelief and she needed to hear the answer even if it came from her own mouth.

"Is...that...?"

It had taken a while, but Red had finally recognized the strange man from tales she had heard from her grandmother. She looked behind her at Belle's question and nodded. "That's Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One. Granny has told me about him. He's a powerful sorcerer that lives to make deals with people. She said he's one of the most evil beings in all the realms and is not to be trusted."

Turning their attention back to the scenario being played out before them, they noticed panic was now overtaking the man as he put his hands out in front of him in an attempt to shield against the Dark One's stare. He also backed up a few paces to put a little more distance between them. The man knew that he had taken a huge gamble in doing what he had done, but he was a desperate man. He audibly swallowed as he did his best to get himself out of the situation in one piece.

"Look, the beans just need a little more time. If you come back in a week or two I'm sure- ."

Rumpelstiltskin made a noise of protest before holding up one of his hands, effectively silencing the pathetic excuse mid sentence. "We had a deal. A healing potion that will save your wife, in exchange for a magic bean that will transport me between worlds," Rumpelstiltskin pointed a slim finger at the cowering man, "You said they would take three days to grow. Well, its been three days yet I see no beans."

With more composure and confidence than he really had, the man looked Rumpelstiltskin dead in the eyes and gave him the best welcoming and warm smile he could muster. "Rumpelstiltskin, I understand your frustration, but I'm telling you, the beans just need a little more time."

Rumpelstiltskin looked thoughtful for a moment before leaning forward and allowing his lips to curl slightly. He looked like a beast that was moments away from devouring a delicious meal. "I'll tell you what, you show me just how far along the beans are and I'll grant you that extension. I'll even go ahead and give you half the potion. That should be enough to keep your wife alive until I get my end of the bargain."

Belle and Red continued to watch as Rumpelstiltskin's companion wiped a blanket of sweat that was forming on his brow. The man was starting to get extremely nervous and the Dark One was starting to take notice. "Ah, well, you see...it's...it's really not..."

Rumpelstiltskin began taking a few small strides toward his cowering friend. The color of his eyes seemed to get darker even though there was plenty of light to illuminate them. His tongue visibly ran across his teeth as he practically hissed out his question.

"It's really not what?"

The tone in Rumpelstiltskin's voice sent the man reeling backwards until he collapsed into the dirt below them. Part of his face was now shrouded in darkness but his fear was still blatantly obvious. He was doing everything in his power not to reveal the truth about the whole matter but, now that he was once again face to face with the deal maker, he was worried all his efforts would be for naught. He was a desperate man, a man that would of done anything to save his loving wife from the illness that plagued her body. In that desperation, he had gone to Rumpelstiltskin in hopes of making a deal; a deal for a rare and power potion that could cure any disease. Knowing he had nothing of value, and banking on the validity of rumors, a lie was concocted about his family having the means to grow magical beans. His plan was to ask for an extension, get the potion and disappear into the farthest realm with his dear wife. Unfortunately, events had twisted themselves against him and now he felt as if he was staring death in the face.

There was something fishy going on and Rumpelstiltskin knew it. The man tried to hide it but the facts were shining as brightly in his eyes as the flames from the fire. The Dark One's lips curled into a snarl as the reality of the situation became clear.

"There aren't any beans are there?" Rumpelstiltskin's voice was low, dripping with menace.

"N-n-no, there are beans, I just don't see why you have to waste your time in looking at them is all?" the man's voice had gone up an octave as he spoke, showing just how terrified he was. He now realized he had been shoved into a corner he had no hope of getting out of.

Rumpelstiltskin's eye's narrowed and his teeth were bared as he continued his advance."You lied to me. Thought you'd try your hand at deceiving the Dark One," Rumpelstiltskin eased himself down in front of the cowering man, "Do you know what happens to people who displease me in such a way?"

Rumpelstiltskin swiftly held out one of his hands. The man on the ground suddenly started gasping for breath, his hands grasping at the invisible hands around his neck. Slowly, everything around him started blurring, blackness creeping its way along the edges of his sight. His lungs were burning with the need for oxygen and he could feel his eyes beginning to roll into the back of his head. No, he refused to give up. His wife was suffering and he was going to do everything in his power to make that suffering stop, even if it meant fighting the Dark One himself. With as much strength as he could muster, he managed to get one of his hand around Rumpelstiltskin's wrist and was slowly managing to twist it away. With every movement the spell seemed to get weaker. He figured, if he could just reposition the hand away from his throat, he could get up and strike the Dark One down, grab the potion and run back to the village for help.

Rumpelstiltskin couldn't believe what he was seeing. This pathetic creature was actually resisting his magic! He tried to increase its power, but with every attempt the man's resolve seemed to grow stronger. In response, he jerked his wrist from the man's grasp and lifted himself back onto his feet. While the man lay gasping and coughing, Rumpelstiltskin turned around and scowled while he looked at his hand, clenching and unclenching its fingers. True love was a powerful substance and, if strong enough, could be very debilitating against his dark magic. Unfortunately, Rumpelstiltskin neither had the patience nor the time to fight with this pathetic human and his "true love", so he decided to go a more old fashioned route. Turning around, he casually waved his hand out in front of him. Purple smoke now engulfed his adversary, leaving a defenseless snail it his place. As if he was going for a simple stroll, Rumpelstiltskin calmly walked over and, without any hesitation, brought his foot down upon the creature, effectively killing it.

Lifting his foot, Rumpelstiltskin looked on in disgust at the snail remains staining the underside of his boot. Doing his best to wipe it off in in the dirt, he cursed under his breath as cleaning his footwear would be another time wasting task he would have to partake in once he got back to the Dark Castle. As he was making his way out of the forest however, he stopped and turned back around. His gaze was once again brought to the spot where he was sure he had heard some kind of noise earlier. Whatever it was it had brought back feelings he hadn't felt in months, feelings that a certain bookworm had aroused in him. No matter where he went it felt like she was there with him, watching him. Rumpelstiltskin dug his fingernails into his the palm of his hand as he fought back the powerful emotions that threatened to burst forth. He hissed as he felt nail tips pierce his skin, small trickles of blood beginning to coat his fingers. He tried to keep his mind occupied with deal after deal but nothing seemed to work. Even spinning at the spinning wheel had lost its effect.

A tear managed to escape the corner of one of his eyelids as he continued to stand there and feel her presence. Belle was dead, something even the most powerful of magic couldn't fix. She had committed suicide to release herself from the pain her father had caused. He needed to stop this, needed to move on, but no matter what he did her spirit continued to haunt him, haunt his dreams and haunt his soul. He deserved all this pain though, deserved every once of it after what he had done to her, cast her out into the cold and into the arms of her abusive father. It was this thought that made him hope her spirit would never cease haunting him. That and it was almost like he had her back with him again...almost.

Red watched as Rumpelstiltskin continued to stand there, her body frozen from the horror she had just witnessed. It wasn't until after he had snuffed out the fire with his magic and disappeared did feeling start to come back into her limbs and she remembered how to breathe. Turning around to make sure Belle was alright, Red was met with a peculiar sight. Belle was no longer behind her. She called out her name in hopes of getting a response but received nothing but silence occasionally broken by the rustle of the wind.

###

Belle didn't know what to do. So many feeling were swirling around inside of her that she couldn't gain control over any of them. She wanted to laugh, she wanted to cry, she wanted to run back there, yell and scream at him, yet she also wanted to embrace him and beg for him to take her back to the Dark Castle. She had never known his magic to be like that and the fact he used it as such made her insides turn.

Currently, she was standing at the edge of the forest, leaning against one of the larger trees. Her breathing was ragged and her body was trembling with pent up emotion. She soon could no longer hold herself up and she slide down the bark of the tree only to collapse among its roots. She then leaned her forehead up against the tree and her hand, that wasn't still trying to hold her upright, gripped the bark like it was a lifeline. Her eyes were shut tight as wave after wave of nausea and distress crashed into her persons. She didn't even bother to look up when she heard someone approaching her. She knew those foot falls anywhere and knew Red would be right on top of her momentary.

Red had been making her way back to the village when she saw Belle collapsed against a tree. Worried there was something seriously wrong with the baby, Red sprinted over as fast as she could. Falling down to her friends level, Red placed both hands on her shaking shoulders and inquired if everything was alright. When she got no response, Red asked again, only this time she forcefully pulled Belle upward so she could get a good look at her. What she saw knocked the air right out of her. A river of tears were cascading down Belle's cheeks, her jaw clenched together in an attempt to keep the wails of pain from escaping; with every roll of a tear though, a small chocking sound could still be heard.

"Isabelle..." Red could do nothing but whisper her friends name as she watched her try not to fall apart. In all the time they had been together, Red had never seen Belle this worked up. Every time she asked what was wrong, Belle would merely shake her head and continue to hold back her anguish. Red knew that whatever was bothering her needed to be released. If not, the end result was in no way going to be healthy for her or her baby. Red had to get her into a situation where she felt comfortable, but most of all, safe. Home was too far away, plus Granny would end up asking far to many questions, so Red did the only thing she thought might help. Getting herself comfortable, Red brought her arms out and brought Belle against her chest, trading out the cold rough bark for a warm and familiar body. Muffled cries now replaced chocked back sobs as Red, who was content to sit there as long as her friend needed, continuously ran her fingers through Belle's dark locks, doing her best to chase off the demons.

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I know, I'm a horrible person aren't I? But isn't that a writers job? To make their readers feel all kinds of emotions? Form a literary standpoint, this entire fic is pretty good. A lot of twists and turns, moments that make you want to go "awww", moments that make you want to pull your hair out etc. From a personal standpoint however, I am fully prepared to incur the wrath of torches and pitchforks lol!

In all seriousness though, I hope you enjoyed this chapter for what it is and don't hate me too much ^-^;;


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors Note: **FINALS ARE OVER! Okay, so their no officially over for me until tomorrow afternoon, but I consider them done nonetheless. I'm not sure how I was able to churn this out between studying and making sure I got enough sleep, but I did lol This is also probably my longest chapter yet ironically. Also, I should note here, things get kinda dark in this chapter so be prepared.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Once Upon a Time or the characters. They belong to their respective owner who are making millions off of such a simple but superb and excellent idea.

**Chapter Nine**

"He's the father of my child."

"What?"

It had been a few hours since Belle's emotional collapse. She had looked so bad that Granny didn't even go off about them being late in getting back. Her and Red were currently sitting in their bed, neither one of them willing or able to go to sleep just yet. Silence prevailed for the most part, each of them off in their own little world, until Belle had spoken.

Belle looked up from her lap and saw Red looking a little lost. Red gave an apologetic smile before she shook her head clear. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

Closing her eyes, Belle breathed a heavy sigh so as to settle her nerves. "Rumpelstiltskin, he's the father of my child." She had no idea what compelled her to tell Red the one piece of information she swore to keep secret. Maybe she was looking for a reason to run. Maybe she needed someone to tell her what a horrible person he was so she could hate him and make everything that much easier. Or maybe she was just tired, tired of carrying around all these secrets.

Red raised her eyebrows, not quite sure if she had heard her friend correctly. "Rumpelstiltskin, is the father of – ," Red pointed at Belle's belly and watched as she nodded in confirmation. Red's face morphed into one of utter seriousness, "Did he take advantage of you?"

Belle's eye grew very wide as she waved her hands in front of her in an attempt to disperse the very idea. "Oh no, no, no, no! It was nothing like that," Belle forced a smile as she did her best to explain herself in a way that would put Red's misplaced fears to rest, "It was after one night of passion between the two of us and it was entirely consensual," Belle suddenly turned somber, her head turning to watch the flicker of a candle flame as it danced, "He doesn't even know."

The last part was said in barely a whisper, but Red still heard it as if they were having a normal conversation. She could tell there was so much more Belle needed to get off her chest and, while she wasn't a hundred percent sure she wanted to hear the rest, she would endure anything for a friend. Reaching out, Red placed a hand over Belle's cold and shaking ones, squeezing them tighter together to let her know it was okay to continue and that she was there for her.

Belle's attention was drawn away from the tiny flame and down to her laced fingers. She focused on both their hands before following up Red's arm and into her reassuring face. Belle bit into her bottom lip as she quickly diverted her gaze once again. She was no where near prepared to divulge everything about her past, but something inside of her told her to continue, to free herself of the burden she carried on in silence. Getting herself into a more comfortable position, Belle gave one last calming sigh before starting her tale, from the beginning.

"It was during one of the many ogre wars. My father's kingdom was quickly bending to the ogre's will, so he decided that some outside help would be beneficial."

Red nodded her understanding. "That's when he called Rumpelstiltskin." It was more of a statement rather than a question.

"Yes," Belle continued to gnaw at her bottom lip as she spoke, "We were desperate people looking for a desperate solution. Rumpelstiltskin promised us that very thing, except the price he was wanting was far more steep than my father was willing to pay."

Red knew. For some weird reason, she knew exactly what Rumpelstiltskin wanted even before Belle mentioned it. Belle realized this so she continued before she lost her nerve.

"Both my father and fiance were doing what they thought was right, but I wasn't about to let my kingdom and friends continue to suffer. Plus," a genuine smile graced Belle as she remembered the first time she had ever laid eyes on Rumpelstiltskin, "there was something about him, a mysterious air that drew me in. I decided to go, to be his caretaker, to do the brave thing a save my kingdom. Plus, if I wanted to be honest, there was a part of me that wanted to find out truly who or what he was," a laugh escape her, "I don't think I would have been able to sleep otherwise."

A caretaker, that sure sounded like something Rumpelstiltskin would want. He would want someone to do everything for him, to do what he felt was beneath him, while he ran around taking advantage of naive and desperate people. To have to give up ones life, ones family, to save an entire village astounded her. And then to actually go through with it? A wave of respect and pity washed over Red as she continued to sit there in silence, waiting for the story to continue.

Belle told Red about her arrival at the Dark Castle, about how amazed she was at the court yard and even more so at the castle itself. She spoke of her time in the dungeons and about all her "civic" duties that were assigned to her by the Dark One himself. She told of her stay there, told about the days Rumpelstiltskin would talk with her, about the day he gave her the library and her new room and about the days where it was nothing like master and slave, but more like they were close friends. She also told of the darker days, particularly when Rumpelstiltskin would come home after one of his deals didn't go exactly as he planned. He would raise his voice, snap at almost every little thing she did wrong and would constantly threaten to move her back to the dungeon. The man was truly nothing but a small child in retrospect, throwing tantrums when he didn't get his way. It became somewhat tolerable though when she discovered that, the next day, she would usually find tea and breakfast already made and him waiting for her with an apology of sorts.

She then told the tale of that day, the day everything changed between them.

"I was busying myself with dusting the curtains while he was next to me, idly spinning a bushel of straw into gold. Curiosity had gotten the better of me and I asked why he spun so much. He did it pretty much every day, especially on his bad days, and it would go on for hours at a time," Belle's eyes shot up to look at the ceiling as she retrieved one of her most precious memories, "He said he did it to forget and, when I asked him what it was he was trying to forget so bad, he looked thoughtful for a moment and I'll never forget what he said."

Red leaned forward, the mystery of it getting the better of her. "What did he say?"

Belle smiled and proceeded to do her best impression of her former lover. "I guess it worked."

Both Red and Belle couldn't help but laugh loudly, Red from the impression and Belle from the memory of it all. Belle continued to laugh as she went on with her tale.

"It was the first time in ages I had laughed as hard as I did. I almost fell off the ladder if you want me to be honest," Belle looked thoughtful for a moment, "Actually, I did fall off the ladder."

Red's eye's grew wide as laughter died down to a mere giggle here and there, "Oh dear, you actually fell off?

"Well, not from laughter, but from trying to get the curtains open," Red looked confused so Belle hurried on, "For whatever reason, he had nailed all the curtains down, keeping them closed. Refusing to give up, I continued to pull at them until I lost my footing after one particularly nasty tug and fell. The good news is, Rumpelstiltskin had been able to catch me before I hit the floor, but the bad news is that the entire hanging came down with me," a tint of red suddenly appeared along the bridge of Belle's nose and over her cheeks at the memory, "That's when it happened, for the both of us I think."

Somewhere during Belle's tale, her and Red and gotten under the covers and were now laying next to each other, Belle on her back and Red on her side propped up on her elbow. "What happened?

The first true smile of the night graced Belle's lips as she turned to face her companion. "It was the first time we saw each other."

Belle went on to describe the way the sun traveled through the window panes and hit him in a way that truly brought out all his features. She couldn't help but admire his long nose and high cheek bones. She also couldn't help but notice the way his strong arms held her tightly to him, how flecks of gold shimmered on his skin and the way his auburn hair drank up the sunlight. And when he turned to look at her, his eyes reflected shock, yes, but she also saw in their depths things he tried so hard to keep hidden. He was human, no matter how much he tried to deny it. He also cared for her, no matter how much he showed indifference. She hadn't know it was love at the time, for either of them, but when she had been laying awake in her bed that night, she knew. At least she hoped because otherwise she was about to make a right out fool of herself. The details of their night together were skimmed over, to say the least, and for that Red was thankful. If it had been anyone else, Red would probably of begged for the juicy bits but she didn't think she could stomach hearing about it if it involved Rumpelstiltskin.

Red watched as Belle's face fell as she began recounting the events that led to her being sent on an errand away from the castle, her run in with the Evil Queen and the kiss that sealed both their fates. She told of the emotions that had been churning inside of her the moment Rumpelstiltskin told her to leave, about how she spent her days after and about how she had almost lost her life with another run in with the Queen. She then told of how she didn't know she was pregnant until well after she was banished from the Dark Castle and admitted how fear about the birth has been plaguing her mind ever since.

A heavy silence filled the room when Belle had finally finished her long and grueling tale. Red watched as a few silent tears emerged from beneath Belle's eyelids. Red's brain was doing its best to process everything that had just been told to her. She knew there had some secrets but nothing like what had just been revealed and, while the whole idea of being with Rumpelstiltskin disgusted her, she decided right then that she wouldn't judge her friend in the slightest.

Belle opened her eyes and wiped away the wet trails left by her tears. "What we saw tonight, that's not him Red," Belle turned to go back to watch the flame of her candle, "What we saw back there wasn't him. That's not the Rumpelstiltskin I know."

"What if who you know is the one that really isn't him?"

Belle continued to watch the flame as it fluttered before her eyes. Red's words echoed in her head and continued to echo long after they retired to go to bed. Belle couldn't bare to think all she knew and thought of her Rumple could be false. She needed to believe in him, she needed to believe in his light. Not only because she had glimpses of it while staying at the Dark Castle, but because if she didn't believe in him, he would have no one. And Belle couldn't think of a worse fate than that.

###

The Harvest Festival was a three day event and was one of the most important as it brought a high amount of revenue for the entire village. People from the surrounding kingdoms would come and spend their money on the decorative wares the village people had put together. The tavern also got a fair amount of business with room and drink. Aside from the wealth, the décor and the atmosphere were also a sight to behold. Poles with ribbon and fabric hangings were strewn along the street that added a sense of beauty and wonder from their craftsmanship. Aside from the food served at the tavern, there was also a long table situated in front of the town hall with a giant feast of meats, vegetables and fruits for any and all to partake in. There were also still plenty of fallen leaves that brought even more color as well as a nice distraction for the children. Most of them were content in running around through the mounds of color and throwing clouds of it at each other, while their parents busied themselves with merchandising and conversations with long time friends.

Belle watched as a group of kids jumped into a particularly giant pile of discarded leaves and smiled as their jubilant laughter rang out over the rumble of haggling from the merchants that lined the streets. She couldn't help but idly rub the child that rested comfortably inside her. She hoped that, one day, her little girl could run and play with other children and be just as happy. She knew it would take some time but others would learn to accept her for who and what she was; Belle would see to it that dream would become a reality. She was, after all, going to be a mother and mothers do everything and anything for their children no matter what. She didn't care what people thought of her, she just hoped her child wouldn't be punished for something she had no control over.

Running her fingers through her hair, Belle smiled as her fingers caressed the dark blue ribbon that laced its way through her curls. The dark blue matched her dress perfectly. Red had insisted on doing her hair this morning and had done a respectable job in french braiding her hair. Red had also gotten her's done up the same way except she had a ribbon of crimson standing out amongst her equally dark hair. Belle was actually waiting for her to get done helping Granny set up for selling some quilts she had knitted over the past few months.

She absentmindedly began swinging her feet as she sat, continuing to rub her tummy and watch the children at play. She was so immersed that she didn't even notice when a swoosh of red came and sat right down next to her. Red had finally been able to break away from helping Granny and, after taking what seemed like a long while to search for her friend, Red had finally spotted her in the church grounds situated on one of the benches. She quickly noticed Belle's lack of response to her presence, yet continued to stay quiet as she didn't want to disturb the comfortable silence just yet. Plus, she was curious to know how long it would take Belle to realize she wasn't alone anymore. After a while however, Red became tired of waiting and made her existence known by the way of a question.

"So, are you enjoying yourself so far?"

Red watched as Belle almost jumped right out of her seat at the sudden intrusion in her silent pondering. She laughed as Belle proceeded to smack her on the shoulder and demanded to know if she was trying to induce early labor onto her. Now out of her trace, Belle regarded Red fully and asked her to repeat what was had asked.

"I asked if you were enjoying yourself so far?"

Belle nodded and smiled as she went back to watching the children play. They had graduated from stomping and throwing leaves to playing a game of hide and go seek. "I've never been to something like this before. They would have festivals all the time in the kingdom, but my father would never let me venture out to see them," a child had run into the church grounds and hid behind a nearby statue. Belle smiled and nodded her understanding when the little girl brought a finger to her lips, "Everyone is so lively and joyous even though the hard winter months are upon them."

Both Red and Belle watched at the little girl behind the statue was found and she ran off in an attempt not to get caught. Red acknowledged her friend's statement saying she always noticed this as well. That, no matter how bad the harvest was, people still seemed to smile and laugh when they were together like this. "I guess there's something about good company and good food that brings out the best in people."

Belle was no stranger to that concept. When Rumpelstiltskin came home after a bad deal, she noticed that when she cooked his favorite meal and kept company with him while he ate, he became less irritable and more like his usual self, if only for that moment. Truly food and good friends were the key to stilling the beast that was in all of us. Thinking about Rumpelstiltskin had brought Belle's mind away from what was going on around them and back to the events of last night. Seeing Rumpelstiltskin kill that poor innocent man had left am empty pit in the bowels of her stomach. She also wasn't sure if revealing all that she did to Red was the most intelligent thing to do, but so far no repercussions had revealed themselves. She could sense the uneasiness that had been stirring in Red as she told her story, but a kind of acceptance also came off, and Belle thought that was best she was ever going to get from anyone.

"What are you thinking about?" Red had noticed the solemn look that had overtaken her friend. Part of her worried that the events of last night still weighed heavily on her. While she didn't necessarily understand the attraction, nor find it appealing, Red wasn't going to let her friend's taste in men ruin their friendship. Red was never petty and she sure wasn't about to start now.

Belle quickly shook her head and banished all thoughts of Rumpelstiltskin from her mind. Today was supposed to be a day of celebration and she didn't want her soberness to poison the atmosphere. "It's nothing. I think I'm just hungry. I haven't eaten anything since this morning and the second person inside of me is very much in demand for more food."

This explanation was taken as truth and Red quickly stood up and helped bring Belle to her own standing position. "Well then lets go over to the town hall and see what we can scrounge up for the little darling." Red patted Belle's stomach, causing Belle to swat her hand away playfully, before making their way over to where the food was being kept.

As they both partook of almost everything laid out before them, a commotion was seen and heard happening on the other end of the village. Curious, Red and Belle began making their way over, hand in hand, to where the center of the ruckus seemed to be happening. Their attention was heightened even more when they recognized Granny's demanding voice among the fray of others. Pushing their way to the front of the crowed, both Belle and Red's stomached lurched at the sight of the Evil Queen's guards. There were three of them,both dressed in their usual glory atop stallions as black as night. The one in front was obviously the leader as he was the only one addressing the anger and confusion being thrown their way. Widow Lucas stood with her crossbow and looked the most furious out of all of the surrounding villagers. She also seemed to be making it her personal mission to get these unwanted intruders out of their midst.

"What right does the Queen have to send her army of barbarians into a village clearly on the outside of her realm?"

The head guard held fast to his position and regarded the older woman with an air of warning. "The Queen has the right to have her guards where she wishes whether it be in her realm or to the far reaches of the next. It would do you well old woman to remember this and hold yourself in check," Looking up, he then addressed the crowd surrounding him and his cohorts, "The Queen sends her regards and great apology for interrupting an important time for you all, but what she seeks is of a most serious threat."

Reaching into a satchel that hung from the saddle he sat upon, the head guard brought out a folded piece of paper. Slowly unfolding it, he turned it around so as to allow the villagers who had assembled to see what was on the other side. A picture of a beautiful young woman with fair skin, full lips and some of the darkest hair any of them had ever seen looked back at them. Above her face it read: **WANTED **and below: **MURDER, TREASON AND TREACHERY**.

"This woman goes by the name Snow White. She is wanted for crimes against the Queen herself. If anyonehas seen her, they are required by law to inform the Queen's Royal Guard of her location. Anyone caught harboring this woman will also be charged and put to death."

A quiet murmuring spread throughout the crowd at the revealing of this Snow White woman. She was beautiful, to be sure, yet those who knew her would tell that said picture did her no justice. Belle's stomach lurched at the mentioning of the Queen. Whoever this woman was, she felt great pity for her. Whatever it was that she had done, Belle was sure it was a story fabricated by the Queen in order to get her hands on another unsuspecting victim. She briefly wondered if the Queen not capturing her was what made the other young woman a target, her being a replacement so to speak. Belle did her best not to think about that.

Granny stood her ground, her hard stare never wavering. "I assure you, we don't have anyone like that in this village and would appreciate it if you went back the way you came and leave this place."

In one smooth motion, the head guard brought out a exceptionally crafted sword that he kept skillfully hidden underneath his cape. "Watch your tongue old woman."

Either because of her stubbornness or unwavering bravery, Granny raised her loaded crossbow and aimed it straight at the guard's heart. "The only thing I'm going to watch is you backing your behinds out of here."

Red quickly rushed forward and placed both her hands on her grandmothers shoulders. She quietly pleaded, for once in her life, not to start anything and back down. She also addressed the guard and told him to pay her grandmother no mind; she hadn't eaten at all today so her irritability was making her say and do things she usually wouldn't do. For one of the longest moments, beyond anything anyone there had ever experienced, a heavy silence hung over the crowd as both Granny and the guard stood frozen, waiting to see what the other would do. Finally, the head guard put away his sword and gave a deep throaty chuckle.

"I will let this slide for today, but next time I will not be so forgiving," turning his steed and motioning to the other two that they were leaving, he gave one final remark, "And make sure you get the old bag something to eat. I sure feel sorry for the unlucky man who married her."

All three of the guards burst out laughing at Granny expense as they began their way back towards the forest's edge. As they were making their way though, the head guard turned his head and saw something that made him stop. The crowed was dispersing rapidly but three people still stood in their respective spots. The old woman, her granddaughter and one other. She was off to the side seemingly trying to stay out of whatever spat had been conjured up between the two other ladies. She had chocolate curls that laid down mid back and she had eyes as blue as the heavens. Her gray clock was also doing nothing to hide the very obvious baby bump she was carrying around.

She looked so very familiar but the guard just couldn't place where he had seen her. Motioning to his companions to wait, he trotted on over to where the young woman was standing. Belle noticed this and her heart rate increased to epic proportions. Swallowing hard, she tried not to look suspicious as the guard came to a stop in front of her and regarded her with intense curiosity.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

Belle let loose a ragged breath as she did her best to steady herself. "No, my apologies, but we have never met before." She heard Red yell something and the guard respond but her hearing wasn't working like it should from all the blood pumping in her ears.

The guard turned his attention back to Belle, "No, I'm sure I've seen you somewhere."

Belle did her best to keep her voice steady as she continued to respond with the negative. For a moment, it looked as if he was just going to leave it at that, but his body language was now telling a different story.

"Wait...I do know you," he leaned forward on his horse, making it so their conversation couldn't be heard outside their vicinity, " You're that woman who used to work for Rumpelstiltskin, the one the Queen was after, the one we saw fall over the cliff to her death."

Belle's face must of given her away because the other two guards were called to come over to flank the one that stood in front of her. "We may not of been able to find that Snow White, but I get the feeling her Majesty will love seeing you all the same. Seize her!"

Before the head guard had a chance to give the command, Belle was already fleeing in the other direction. She could hear the gallop of a horse right behind her as one of the guards chased her and could almost feel his hand as it reached out to grab her. Tripping over her own feet, Belle collapsed to the ground, her belly unfortunately taking the brunt of the fall. She cried out in pain as she rolled onto her back, wrapping her arms securely around her middle. Red had seen Belle fall and screamed out to her before untangling herself from her grandmother and sprinting over to where she lay defenseless. Queen's guards or not, she would be damned in anyone was going to kidnap her friend.

Somewhere in all the commotion, the head guard has dismounted his horse and was making his way over to where Belle lay frozen in agonizing pain. On his way however, he made sure to stop Red from interfering by catching her arm and backhanding her across the face. He hit her with such force that Red fell to the ground, unconscious. Making his way until he was directly over Belle's quivering form, he stood with much pride and an evil that radiated from every pore. The guard that was left went over to detain Widow Lucas as he was sure she would be none to pleased about her granddaughter being assaulted and didn't want anymore interruptions.

Stepping so that each of his legs were placed on either side of Belle's body, the head guard went down on one knee and took hold of the front of Belle's dress. He then pulled her a short distance from the ground so he could lean over and whisper so that no one else could hear.

"I'm guessing it was Rumpelstiltskin that got you pregnant, yes?" Not receiving a response, he continued, "It's no matter really. If you did happen to whore yourself out to that beast, the Queen will have two pawns to hold over him. If not, I'm sure she'd still get some use out if you. And since a dungeon is no place to raise a child, she might even do you a favor and raise it herself. How does that sound?

Something inside of Belle stirred to life. It was a power, a force, that she had never felt before. It was fueled by anger and fear, two of the most powerful emotions that made any rational human being loose focus. There was something else there as well. It was a voice, a gentle voice that resonated inside her head, but at the same time sounded as if it was on the outside, whispering in her ear. It was telling her to let go, to relinquish control to whatever it was that was threatening to spill froth from inside her. Belle squeezed her eyes shut and inwardly shouted her refusal. This power, this magic, scared her even more than when she produced that barrier in the woods or when she witnessed Rumpelstiltskin turn that villager into a snail before ending his life. The voice kept telling her everything was going to be alright, but Belle continued to refuse. Even if it meant she would be saved from being brought into the Queen's clutches, she wouldn't allow herself to use magic.

She could hear another heart beating in rhythm with hers, the pounding of it slowly getting louder and louder until it silenced out her own. She could feel the thoughts of someone else stirring in the back of her mind, mixing with her own until she lost sight of which were hers and which were not. Her body was so weak from all that it had been through, that fighting off whatever this was had become quite strenuous. With every passing second, pure power was engulfing more and more of her consciousness until there was nothing left.

Belle's eyes shot open, their brilliant blue color traded out for a darkish gold. The guard who was holding her didn't have time to react for, as soon as he was aware of the change, an invisible force had sent him backwards to land a few feet away sprawled in the dirt. Getting to her feet with more ease than should have been allowed to a six moth pregnant woman, Belle regarded the discarded soldier with an air of amusement. The delight she was feeling was interrupted as a roar of fury made itself known behind her. Still on horseback, the guard that had originally gone after her was now giving chase again, this time his sword drawn for attack. With her back still turned, Belle sent both the horse and assaulting guard flying into the air and left them to crash land into the wares of some poor seller.

Not all of the assailant has been discarded however. His sword had been wrenched from his grip and was now floating in mid air. Belle turned around and brought the sword closer until it was mere inches from her face. She regarded the weapon with a childlike curiosity, tilting her head as the light from the sun glinted off the polished metal. Reaching out one of her fingers, she slid the digit along the edge, winching as the sharp blade cut into her skin. Bringing her injured finger up to her face, she watched as the blood trickled down and stained both her hand and forearm in its crimson semblance. She then brought her attention back to the sword. A powerful glow suddenly engulfed the blade, turning its rich silver into a deep purple. A high pitched giggle was then produced from deep inside her as being able to bring magic to the weapon both amused and delighted her.

A noise diverted her attention and Belle turned again to see the head guard picking himself up from the dirt, shaking his head in an attempt to clear is blurry vision. Seeing his adversary was now armed, he went to unsheathe his own weapon. His movements were in vain however for, as soon as his hand went for his sword, the one Belle was wielding flew directly into into his chest. Smoke, as well as blood, began emanating from the wound. A blood curtailing scream was torn from the guard's throat from pain, not only form the blade, but from the magic that coated it.

Cocking her head, Belle willed the sword to remove itself and she watched as her target slumped to the ground still writhing in pain, death not far off. Victory was long off though, as she remembered the guard that had flown into the kiosk earlier. She casually and confidently made her way over to where he lay tangled up in wood and cloth. Then, without any hesitation, brought the blade down and slashed at the soldier's throat. The man's head had been taken clean off, the appendage tumbling to the ground and rolling a few feet away as the body crumpled where it sat. Belle then brought her attention to the guard who was still restraining Granny. She smiled showing all of her teeth and that, along with the sight of his fallen comrades, was enough to make him release his captive and make a run for it. Belle thought about cutting down his retreating form but she wanted word of what happened to get back to whoever it was that sent them; she didn't want the fun to end with just these three after all.

Now that everything had calmed down, the power that was enveloping Belle was cooling down to a low simmer. The sword she was holding up clattered to the ground, the magic held within it melting away like snow on a warm spring day. Belle's eyes were once again closed as the sensations of magic, and power faded away until there was nothing left. Her heart beat became the dominate noise in her chest again and her thoughts untangled themselves until they once again became solely hers. Taking in a deep and calming breath, she reopened her eyes and they were back to the magnificent blue that could captivate even the most hardened of souls.

Looking around, Belle noticed all the of towns people staring at her. Some had expression of fear while others were whispering words of judgment and disdain. She looked around at all the faces and brought a hand to her head as one nasty headache began pulsating through her. She couldn't fully comprehend what was going on and this both confused and frightened her. The last thing she remembered was fighting off some extraordinary power that was threatening to burst forth from her body. After the throbbing in her head had settled down into a dull roar, Belle re-opened her eyes and screamed at what she saw.

One of the guards was laying nearby, his body fully decapitated. One of her shoes was surrounded by the blood that was seeping from the neck wound. Belle let out another startled scream before taking a few steps back and doing her best to wipe away the stain by scrapping her shoe in the dirt. She then noticed the other guard, the one that had previously had a hold on her, was laying a few feet away stone cold dead, his body lying in a pool of his own blood. She was about to ask what in the world happened, that is, until she saw the discarded sword laying at her feet.

Belle's eye's widened as she regarded the sword, its brilliant shine dulled by the dark scarlet stain of man's life. She didn't like the simple fact it was so near and the implication that it held made her stomach lurch into her throat. It took ever once of self control to not heave everything she had eaten earlier up and out onto the ground. The murmuring around her was now getting louder and what she heard did nothing to ease her fears; whispers of magic and demon being the most prominent. Belle couldn't help but bury her face into the palms of her hands. The one thing she had been trying to keep secret, the one thing she had done her best to avoid being made public had been revealed and all in the worst way imaginable. They weren't talking about a simple barrier conjure or making something disappear out of thin air, they were talking about murder. Granted, yes, they had been the Evil Queen's men, and were trying to kidnap her, but she had killed; Belle had killed using magic and the scariest thing was that she had no control over what she had done.

"Isabelle."

Hearing her fake name, Belle raised her head and saw Granny standing next to her. She had a serious look in her eyes, but there was also a sadness rippling behind the somber expression. For a moment, Granny looked past her to the crowed of people that seemed to be converging on them. She then looked back at Belle, a look of affliction now etched in her features, as if what she was about to say caused her great pain.

"You need to go."

Those same words Rumpelstiltskin had uttered all those months ago echoed in her mind, but Belle shook her head to whisk them away. Did she seriously hear Granny right? Was she telling her to leave the village? Granny seemed to be able to read Belle's mind because she nodded. She then motioned with her eyes for Belle to look behind her. Doing as such, Belle noticed the threatening looks on the peoples faces, a few of them looking as if they were about ready to lunge forward at any minute.

"I'll do my best to calm the crowd, but I can't help you anymore than that. You need to go."

Belle turned her attention back to Granny. "But..." Her gaze drifted past and onto a still unconscious Red.

Granny shook her head and placed a hand on Belle's shoulder. "Don't worry, she'll be fine." She then took that same hand and ushered Belle away from the crowd, away from Red and away from the one place she thought she would always call home.

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None of you were expecting that were you? lol To be honest, I have no idea where the concept for this chapter came from. I needed some kind of major conflict to be deep seeded in Belle that would be the ultimate fuel for her to hate magic. The idea for "her" to "accidentally" kill someone with said magic kinda twisted itself out of nothing as I lay trying to go to sleep one night.

What's going to happen to Belle now I wonder? Is she going to have a smooth birth or are there going to be major issues? Is she going to end up having this baby alone? Is she going to see Rumpelstiltskin again? Hmmmmm... ^-^


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors Note: **I would say short chapter is short, but it seems that after going over it four times, Ch10 has grown in its capacity. I' still not a hundred percent satisfied with this chapter I think, but know if I continue to go over it I'm never going to be done lol! Plus, I don't want to keep everyone waiting for too long :)

**Disclaimer: **I know after ten chapters one knows by now that I don't own these peoples, but just so I can cover my ass: I don't own OUAT!

**Chapter Ten  
**

It was ironic really. Starting out her new life at a tavern, only to end up at one once again. It was around the hour of dusk. A bustle of villagers had taken over the place for their dinner or maybe just to knock back a few before bed. Currently, Belle was sitting at one of the tables near the back of the building. She was resting her chin in her hands with a glazed far off look in her eyes. One of the barmaids had tried to get her attention to ask if she wanted anything but Belle just continued to stare off into space, her face absolutely expressionless. She was there physically, but mentally and emotionally she was torn to shreds and scattered to the four corners of the wind.

She had run. Without so much as looking back, Belle had run as fast as she could giving her physical circumstances. She remembered hearing the faint sound of people yelling and, knowing the worst was surely to greet her if she was caught, she did her best to persevere. Thoughts of Red and Peter had constantly been swirling around in her head. She worried about Red, wondered if she was really going to be okay and was quickly saddened by thoughts of them never seeing each other again. She had thought about Peter and had been upset that she wasn't going to be there to apologize for all she had done to him and his family. She had even thought of Granny and had silently thanked her for all that she had done for her. She wasn't sure how, but she had somehow managed to make it to the next town without getting caught by the flock of villagers who Granny obviously hadn't been able to sway or without running into another swarm of the Queen's troops.

Belle didn't even flinch as hunger pains made themselves known for the third time that night. She hadn't eaten anything decent in a few days and it was starting to take effect on her body. She could feel the baby squirm in protest of lack of food, but there really wasn't much Belle could do about it. In her haste to flee the village and the pending riot against her, she hadn't grabbed anything to take with her and that included money. She briefly thought about seeing if the tavern owner had any sympathy in him, but that plan was quickly discarded as she had witnessed him turn away a beggar looking for food and a place to rest near his hearth. She figured it was only a matter of time before she was thrown out as well, considering she hadn't bought anything yet, so Belle was enjoying the warmth and comfort of being inside for as long as she could.

Normally, tears would have been falling from all the pain, helplessness and fear she was feeling, but Belle simply didn't have anymore tears to shed. She had cried herself to sleep the past few nights, wishing death would just take her while she slept. Fortunately or unfortunately, she had woken to greet the day ever single time and was forced to continue on her journey of immense tragedy and suffering. Thoughts of putting her own life in her hands and ripping it from herself had also begun to take shape, but deep down Belle knew it to be futile. Her baby would simply use magic to heal or protect like she always did.

Speaking of the baby, Belle felt her give a massive kick against the wall of her womb. Belle couldn't help but flinch this time as the pain brought her mind back to the present. It seemed to be a never ending cycle between the two of them. Belle would think negatively about herself and her daughter would kick as a way to knock some sense back into her mother. Belle would also occasionally find negative thoughts about the girl's father seeping into her mind. Her daughter seemed to kick the hardest when those thoughts went racing.

Ever since seeing Rumpelstiltskin that fateful night, Belle's dreams had been plagued by his presence; they would be nightmares that would haunt her for the rest of the day and well into the night. There was a part of her that missed him still, who wanted nothing more than to go find him. The other part, the one that held on to these nightmares, wanted nothing to do with him. His magic scared her and she wasn't sure she could live with someone like him again. She wanted to go to him eventually, but that was a day that was long in coming. She just wasn't ready to see him.

Everything around her had suddenly gone really quiet. Panicking, thinking maybe the Queen's guards were the cause of such a defining silence, Belle quickly looked up to investigate. Her voice was torn from her as her eye's widened in shock and her child seemed to be doing her best to perform somersaults. It seemed that fate had decided to work against her wishes because, at that very moment, the Dark One himself had walked in through the main doors of the tavern. He was dressed in all his usual glory, a look of mirth replacing his scowl as he regarded everyone who was staring at him.

"Well don't let me be the spoiler of all the fun. Please, continue on with what you were doing," his voice lowered and the scowl from before suddenly came back, "I insist."

Noise re-erupted all around as everyone went back to their conversations, doing their best to ignore the fact the feared and all powerful Dark One was in their midst. Belle watched as he pulled a passing barmaid aside and demanded a drink be brought to him at his table. The young woman recoiled slightly at his touch, but quickly covered it up with a elaborate nod and verbal recognition of his order. Smirking at the woman's obvious fear and discomfort, Rumpelstiltskin finally released her and began making his way to the back tables.

Belle, with a combination of dread and excitement, realized that Rumpelstiltskin's path would pass right by her. She quickly pulled her cloak around her as best she could and pulled her hood halfway over her face so as to conceal her identity. She felt the dispersion of air as he made his way past and he didn't pause in his stride until he made his way to his desired table and calmly made his place at it. Pulling the corner of her hood aside, Belle noticed that, if she angled her head just right, she had a perfect view of him from where she sat. She watched as he reached into one of his pockets and brought out a sliver flask. Unscrewing the top, he raised it to his lips and took a giant swig of whatever was in it. Belle remembered kissing those same lips and found herself wanting to run her tongue over them so she could find out what exactly what he was drinking.

Depositing the container back in his pocket, he then removed a small pile of golden thread and placed it on the table in front of him. No sooner had he done that, than the barmaid from earlier appeared before him and delivered his desired drink. Checking to see if it up to his standards, Rumpelstiltskin smiled his satisfaction before motioning for the woman to take her payment. The poor young woman did her best to not look too eager to be rid of him as she swiped the thread from the tabletop and scurried off to other waiting patrons and their tables.

Belle continued to watch with fascination as Rumpelstiltskin partook in another sip of his beverage. He then placed his chin atop one of his hands and began drifting his gaze over the crowd of people. She remembered how he used to tell her how much he loved to people watch and how you could learn a lot about someone just by watching them. As his attention was brought in her direction however, Belle felt herself panicking again and she quickly turned her head and covered her face with the fabric of her cloak. She could feel his eye's burning holes into the side of her head. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that he would see her as a normal patron and loose interest in her. She briefly wished she had something to eat or drink so she would be able to sell the image better. There was nothing more suspicious than someone sitting in a tavern and not eating or drinking anything.

Slowly, the feeling of her being watched began to fade until there was nothing left except the fluttering of her cloak against her cheek. Taking a chance, she carefully lifted up her hood and brought her attention back to the man who embodied both her fears and desires. He was no longer looking in her direction, but was now staring off into space just as she had been doing only moments earlier. Drink seemingly forgotten, he continued to rest his chin in his hand, while the other began scratching away at the wood of the tabletop. She silently wondered what on earth he could be thinking about so hard. From the look on his face, it was obviously something that troubled him and brought him great sadness. She had seen that look on his face once before, back when he briefly talked about his son. Belle figured that was what he was thinking about now so she unwillingly pulled her gaze from him and left him to his private thoughts.

Looking down at her own table, Belle began mimicking Rumpelstiltskin by using her own fingernail to scratch away at the wood in front of her. Granted she wasn't doing a much damage as his claws were probably doing but it gave her something to do as she sat there contemplating what to do next. She currently was hiding out in a stable on the outskirts of town but she wasn't sure how much longer she could stay there. So far the owners hadn't a clue but Belle figured her luck would run out eventually. She slept there during the night and came to town during the day. She had tried to find some work but everywhere she went she was turned away. Hiring a pregnant woman obviously wasn't in anyone's best interest.

Belle turned back to see what Rumpelstiltskin was up to. For some reason she just couldn't keep her eyes away from him. She noticed that he was now holding company with someone. By the body language the man was giving, and the deep interest that Rumpelstiltskin seemed to have, Belle could only assume the person was there to make a deal of some kind. After all, she didn't know anyone, save herself, who would approach Rum for casual conversation and she didn't think he would let anyone else either. Whatever it was the man was bargaining for must of pleased Rum for he smiled to the point all of his teeth were showing and his shoulders shook with his own brand of mirth. Belle imagined she could hear his trademark giggle over the roar of the other patrons and it made her shiver. She then watched as Rumpelstiltskin and the mystery man shook hands, sealing the deal. Belle narrowed her eyes as she watched the deal be struck. She couldn't help but wonder on the deal that was made and what the man's end of it entailed. Knowing Rumpelstiltskin it was probably something that far outweighed what he was getting in return. Part of her wanted to go over there and interfere, but she knew that what he did was no longer her business. Plus, doing that would of made herself known to him and that was something she most certainly did **not** want.

Belle bit her lip and drew her attention back to the table and the mark she was slowly making on its surface. She didn't want to be noticed by him. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. Belle wondered why there was a part of her that just didn't believe that. It was the same part that tried to rationalize his magic and accept him despite the fact. It was the same part that remembered all the good times she had at the Dark Castle and reasoned that they were well worth it despite all the bad ones. It was the part that missed him, wanted to be with him...and was currently winning over her negative side.

A sudden loud scrape of wood on wood caused Belle to divert her attention back in the direction of her old lover. It seemed he had pushed his chair back with more force than was necessary and was currently stretching his body out. The man from before was now gone, leaving an empty seat in his wake. Belle was currently fighting with the urge to go over there and fill up the empty space when Rumpelstiltskin got up from his seat and began making his way back to the front, his path moving away from her this time.

The inner war that was raging inside Belle intensified with each step Rumpelstiltskin took. If she was going to do something, she was going to have to do it fast. She watched him weave in and out between tables, the debate about whether or not to make an appearance still undecided. Her hands gripped the edge of the table while her heart threatened to burst forth from her chest. Even the baby was fidgeting with the occasional kick of, what Belle could only guess as, impatience. She willed her legs to move, but it was like they were frozen stiff. It wasn't until Rumpelstiltskin was gone and out the door did she develop feeling back into her leg muscles, but by then it was too late.

Belle sighed in defeat as her body slumped against the backboard of her seat. She wanted to scream in frustration, but that would ultimately draw unwanted attention. Instead, she settled on squeezing her eyes shut and bringing one of her hands up to her face, using her fingers to massage the bridge of her nose. She could feel a massive headache coming on and she cursed silently to herself.

Without any warning, another sort of pain exploded out of nowhere, cramps that started in her lower back and expanded outward. Belle gasped from the sensation as she leapt out of her chair and bent forward, one of her hands reaching out to grip the table for balance. The pain then migrated into her front and wave upon wave kept hitting her like it was trying to push her over onto the ground. There was a loud commotion as Belle couldn't hold back a scream of pain any longer. It felt as if her baby was trying to burst forth from her body. The barmaid that had attended to Rumpelstiltskin ran forward and did her best to help support Belle and keep her from collapsing. She tried to inquire if everything was alright, but all Belle could do was scream in agony as contractions continued to plague her body.

The barmaid yelled something about blankets and warm water, but Belle couldn't pay the woman any attention even if she tried. It was at this point that Belle realized that she couldn't do this alone, she could **not** have this baby by herself. Heaving herself up out of the barmaid's arms, and onto her own two feet, Belle began making her way to the door of the tavern between contractions. If anyone tried to stop her, she merely screamed at them and did her best to shove them aside. Her feelings about Rumpelstiltskin may have been very mixed at the moment, but she loved him, that much she knew as fact. She could sort out the rest of her emotions later, once she was home with him and the little bundle she had been carrying around was born. They could talk, mend things, work things out, just as long as she could be with him.

A blast of cold air washed over her entire body as she stepped out into the street. Doing her best to open her eyes against the pain swirling throughout her lower regions, she looked around for any sign of her true love. Seeing nothing, she then picked the direction that she knew would lead out of town and began walking. She was determined to find him and figured, if she kept moving, she would run into his retreating form eventually. Thankfully the contractions had died down somewhat, though she was still sluggish from lack of food and muscle weakness. She kept pushing herself forward however, keeping an eye out for any sort of movement. She had even tried calling out for him, but she was so weak his name came out in barely a whisper that even she could barely hear.

Finding her will power to continue had dissipated into nothingness, Belle stopped in her tracks. She gave a quivering sigh of despair and allowed her knees to buckle, bringing her tired and abused body to the earth. Her body convulsed with tears that wouldn't come and her arms did their best to keep herself as upright as possible. After a while, she was able to calm herself and noticed that her contractions had completely disappeared. This gave Belle the ability to finally regain both her thoughts and composure.

Belle brought one of her hands up and wiped imaginary tears away from her face. What was she doing? Here she was, in the middle of the street, practically laying in the dirt and convulsing with hysterics just because she couldn't find Rumpelstiltskin anywhere. She had been fine with never seeing him again, come to terms with it really, but ever since seeing him in that clearing coated in fire light, her longing for him had been stronger than ever. She felt like she needed him, that there was no way she could give birth to this child on her own. Belle shook her head, her jaw clenched in some new found determination. No, she didn't need him, she didn't need anybody's help. This was **her** child, **her** daughter, and what she had done to conceive was entirely **her** choice. It was time to stop feeling sorry for herself and stand on her own two feet. Yes, she was still scared, but she had never let that stop her before so why should she let it now.

Belle wasn't sure how long she stayed there, but she finally gained the strength to pull herself back into a standing position. Tomorrow was a new day and that was the day she would make sure everything would change. She would go out, find a place to live and do her best to prepare for the coming of her baby girl. If living with Red had taught her anything it was to make the best of your situation and that was exactly what she was going to do.

It was like a weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders and Belle smiled at the new found feeling. It was almost like she was her old self again, the confident and independent woman she had always prided herself on being. She looked down as her baby squirmed inside of her. Belle could only imagine that the little one still longed for her father. Mentally giving her unborn child a hug, Belle caressed her tummy and whispered words of comfort. She then begin making her way back to her temporary living quarters to try and get some well needed sleep before she started out on her new life. It was just going to be her and her baby and Belle was perfectly fine with that.

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I know, what the F%#! right? XD I know! I am a giant tease and you all probably want to kill me right now, but I see that as a sign of being a good writer. Even if I have to barricade my house and change addresses a few times lol!

**SEMI-SPOILER BELOW**

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Also, I wanted to kind of end this chapter on a strong note. This whole time Belle has been lamenting, on some level, over not being with Rumpelstiltskin anymore. I kind of wanted her to start putting the past behind her and start standing on her own two feet some, especially since I'm going to be writing a few sequels to this. When they do see each other again, and trust me they will, if I don't have her all independent then there really wouldn't be much of a conflict.

Only a couple more chapters to go! The fun will start once we get to SB so lets all just hang in there!


	11. Chapter 11

**Authors Note: **Happy Christmas! (or whichever holiday you celebrate) This be my gift to all of you loyal readers...the finished product of Gift of Magic! :D yes I have been working do-diligently and have finished the final chapter, as well as added an Epilogue of sorts.

I really appreciate all those who have followed me from the beginning and have stuck through it til the end. I know my fic has been more angst that anything, but I promise it shall all be made up in the sequel I am currently working on. ^-^ And so, without further adieu, the final chapter of my written design!

**Disclaimer: **Don't own. Please don't sue cause the only thing you'll get are the penny's I found under the couch lol

**Chapter Eleven**

It was mid winter. Freshly fallen snow coated the surrounding scenery in a blanket of white that added a sense of brilliance and majesty. It was almost like the snow glowed with an earthly magic that spread out and filled whoever was privileged to be touched by it with feelings of uncharacteristic warmth and a desire to spread the passions of life to those around them. With snow also came the promise of spring, a realization that new life was resting just below the ice and would one day break through and paint the world in a splendor of color. All the beasts of the forest lay at rest in wait for the changing of seasons. There was one animal however that was not resting, a human. A human who had made their home in the depths of the wood, away from prying eyes and other unwanted attention from their fellow man.

Their house was a quaint one, nothing extravagant about either the inside nor the outside. It was a one bedroom home complete with a kitchen, dining area, fireplace and bed. It had shelves a plenty for keeping food, as well as a large cabinet set against the wall. It had a place to store extra wood for the winter months and a sturdy wooden table that sat in the middle of the room surrounded by four comfortable chairs. The bed was situated against the farthest corner of the room, a side table complete with a candle lay at its side.

A crackling fire was dancing in the hearth, spreading its heat throughout the home. The light it cast from its flames crawled across the floor and along the walls, casting shadows and giving the room an otherworldly glow to it. A chair had been removed from its spot next to the dinning room table to be placed a short distance away from the warmth of the delicate fire. Belle was currently sitting in said chair, her bare feet wiggling themselves toward the flames while her arms were resting about her mid section. Her deep blue eyes were also closed, her face completely relaxed as she rested the back of her head against the top of the chair's head rest. When she had come upon this little cabin in the woods, Belle had been hoping the occupants would allow her a nice meal and a place to sleep for a few days. What she ended up getting could be argued as something ten times better. It seemed the little house had been abandoned for quite some time. Layers of dust had coated everything and the windows looked like they hadn't seen a good scrubbing in months. Belle surmised the original owners must of left in quite a hurry because everything they seemed to have owned had been left behind. Food was still readily stocked in the cabinet and shelves, wood was still piled up neatly in the corner waiting to be burned and even the sheets were still neatly laid upon the bed as if it was just made this morning.

Opening her eyes, Belle re-situated herself so she was sitting upright, her gaze now watching the embers as they lept into the air only to fall back into the burning inferno they were trying to escape. Ever since she had come to terms with the fact she would be raising this child herself, her luck seemed to be changing for the better. Perhaps it was just her new outlook or maybe good fortune really had decided to look down upon her. Gently rubbing her baby bump, Belle smiled as she looked down upon her swollen belly. Either way, Belle was sincerely happy and ready to do her best to give her daughter the best life she could muster. It would be hard but she was up for it.

Turning around in her seat, Belle looked out one of the windows and into the dark winter night. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't realized just how late it had gotten. Raising one of her hands, Belle stifled an immensely large yawn. Exhaustion had been slowly creeping up on her and seemed to have finally overtaken her entire body. She suddenly felt like her entire body was weighed down and it took every ounce of her strength to lift herself up and drag herself over to the comfort of her very own bed. Turning down the blanket and sheets, Belle eased her aching body into bed and smiled as she sunk down into the confines of the mattress. Tucking her legs and feet against her body, Belle wrapped herself up as tightly as she could so as to protect herself against the chill that would soon take over the house. Until then, she would watch the shadows dance along the walls, the movements of the each shape hypnotizing her into a deep restful sleep.

###

_She was dreaming, that much she knew. Where she was in her dream world though, she had no clue. Everything was stark white. Belle shivered, yet there wasn't a single breeze blowing. She felt blinded even though no sun shone. It was almost like she was in an empty space, a room with no walls, doors or windows yet she felt confined as if they were all present._

_Suddenly there was a flash of light. Its brilliance so great that Belle had to step back and throw her arms up for protection. Even with her eyes clamped shut, the light still illuminated her vision. It wasn't until the brightness dimmed, did Belle let her guard down and peak out from beneath her eyelids. What she saw in front of her caused her eyes to open the rest of the way and for her breath to be stolen from her lungs._

_A woman, looking to be in her early thirties, stood before Belle. She was dressed in a gown of violet. The bodice of the dress was sleeveless and it tied securely in the back. The dress itself flowed out behind her, a two foot trail skimming the ground. She wore golden jewelry and her shoes were white with diamond studs along the straps. Her hair was a dark brown and it was placed in a stylish up-do, yet a few ringlets escaped from the back and cascaded down her neck. As Belle looked on, silent tears began to fall. The woman that stood before her was none other than her mother and she was dress the way she remembered her to be, on her sixth year birthday party, the day before she had fallen deathly ill and died a few days later. _

"_Mother...?" _

_Belle slowly reached out a shaking hand, afraid that if she touched her, she would disappear. Her mother smiled however and spread her arms out to invite her daughter in. Belle couldn't hold back the wail of happiness at seeing her mother again as she ran forward and encased her mother in the tightest hug she could muster. She cried into her mother's chest as she was gently hushed and her hair gently stroked._

_Once she had calmed down, Belle lifted her head and regarded her mother with curious eyes. "Mother, why...what...?"_

_Bell was in such shock she couldn't even form coherent sentences. Her mother smiled at this and chuckled lightly before tucking a loose strand of her daughters hair back behind her ear._

"_I am here because you wanted me to be. You are strong Belle, but deep down you still needed that reassurance you've always craved."_

_Belle wiped away the tears that streaked her face. "Am I momma? Am I making the right decision?"_

_Belle's mother closed her eyes and looked very solemn. "I believe you made the only choice the universe gave to you," she opened her eyes and gave a small smile to her daughter, "But do not give up on Rumpelstiltskin, my dear. True love is the most powerful of magic and your love is some of the most powerful of all," she laid her hand over Belle's stomach, in the place where her baby bump should have been showing, "You are about to give birth to a very special child. A child born of both light and dark, a child born of true love. She will bring the two of you together again."_

_Belle looked from her mothers hand to her smiling face. Her warm smile was extremely contagious for Belle soon found her own face breaking out into one as well. The smile soon faded however when Belle saw her mother once again become very serious._

"_What is it mother? What wrong?"_

_Letting loose a heavy sigh, Belle's mother revealed the true reason for her coming. "Belle, there is grave danger on the horizon. Not just for you and your child, but for everyone in the land. A dark curse has been made, a curse that shall tear loved ones apart and transport everyone to a different realm, a place where evil runs rampant and good seems nonexistent," Belle was going to say something but her words died on her lips at the next thing her mother said to her, "Everyone shall forget who they are and who they belong to. Lives shall be filled with despair with happiness just out of their reach."_

_Belle swallowed hard, each of her nerve endings on fire with panic. "And...who shall be enacting this...this curse?"_

_Her mother shook her head. "I cannot tell you that my dear. Whoever it is, is keeping their identity shrouded in darkness."_

_Belle's mind began to race. Her first thought was of the Evil Queen. She seemed like the right person who would create and activate a curse such as that. A smooth and warm hard was brought up and caressed Belle's cheek lovingly, bringing herself out of her silent thoughts. Her mother was once again smiling, filling the area around them with affection and love. This was when Belle suddenly noticed the light from before slowly coming back and growing in intensity. _

"_Mother?"_

_Belle watched as her mother began to fade, the warmth from her hand growing cold and the sparkle of her cerulean eyes fading away. Her voice spoke words of comfort however, before she disappeared back from hence she came._

"_Do not worry my Belle. I will always be watching over you. And remember your daughter well. She will be the key to joining you and your true love together again. As long as you take the time to listen, your love shall never truly be taken from you." _

###

Belle's eyelids fluttered as she began to stir from a deep restful slumber. Bringing her fingers to her face, she gently began rubbing the sleep out of each eye in an attempt to make herself more aware and alert. She then took a moment to stretch her overused muscles before collapsing back into the contours of the mattress. Looking around, Belle noticed that the fire had died sometime during the night and sunlight was seeping through the clouded windowpanes. Judging on the brightness and angle of the rays, it seemed to be somewhere in the late morning hours. Belle seemed to be sleeping later and later these days and, she would of continued to lay where she was, if hunger hadn't been insistent on her getting out of bed.

Untangling herself from the bedsheets, Belle sat herself on the edge of the bed and placed her bare feet on the cold wooden floor. She shivered as that simple touch caused her entire body to drop a few degrees and her flesh to break out in goose pimples. It was then she decided that she would start up another fire before attending to her ailing stomach. Lifting herself up and out of bed, Belle quickly made her way over to the pile of firewood that was placed conveniently next to the hearth. Picking up a few logs, Belle deposited them into the ashes of the old logs and, using a piece of flint and steel, brought the roaring fire back to life.

Belle lingered near the flames a while longer before her bare feet pattered across the floor and into the kitchen area. Opening one of the cupboards, Belle brought down some pieces of bread and apple slices. She had been disappointed that all of the cheese had been spoiled, but the bread and pieces of fruit had been dried as a means of preserving them and, for that, Belle was exceptionally glad. Sitting herself at the table in the spot closest to the fire, she began nibbling on her simple breakfast and lamenting over the dream she had awoken from.

She had dreamt about her mother before, but never in the context as she had last night. Her mother had come to her and warned her of a foreboding presence looming overhead and how everyone was to be affected. A curse was to be draped over this land and take them to a world where evil ran rampant and they would no longer know one another. Belle shuddered from something other than the cold. Her mother had also told her not to give up on Rumpelstiltskin. That true love was never easy, but it was the most powerful form of magic. She had also said hat their child was a product of that magic and her daughter alone would being them back together again. As much as she might of wanted to believe those words, she highly doubted them possible. How was their daughter going to bring two people together if the three of them didn't know each other anymore?

Belle sighed as she finished up her meal and got up to deposit her plate into the sink to be washed at a later date. Going back over to her bed, she knelt down at the foot and opened up a large chest. Whoever had lived here last had also left a pretty decent amount of clothes behind, including the long sleeved nightwear she was currently wearing. The more Belle thought on it, the more she realized that there was just too much stuff left behind for someone to have just run off. Her mind went immediately to the Queen and wondered if evil had brought with it death or abduction. Either were extremely plausible though, which one was the lesser of the two, Belle hadn't a clue.

As she was going through the woman's clothing that lay mixed with the other articles, Belle decided that she wasn't going to get dressed today and just spend the entire day relaxing in bed. Closing the chest, Belle went back over to the kitchen to grab another plate full of dried fruit before depositing herself back into the confines of her bed. As she laid there eating however, her body began demanding further rest so, placing the plate of half eaten food on her nightstand, Belle slunk down into the sheets and closed her eyes for a semi-morning nap.

Belle had no idea how long she lay sleeping for, or if she had really been sleeping at all, but jagged, shooting pain had startled her into awareness and tore a scream from her throat. The pain was just like before, concentrated at the base of her spine and was now spreading out and around her abdominal areas. It also brought with it a tightness and pressure that contracted along her midsection. Then almost as quickly as it appeared, the contractions stopped. Belle lay completely motionless, her hands still gripping the bedsheets from the intensity of the pain.

Suddenly, there was a giant gush of water that seeped out onto the bedsheets and seemed to just come out of nowhere. At first, Belle embarrassingly thought she had urinated all over herself, but another more intense pressure expelled that thought entirely. When she had turned 18 yeas of age, her nurse maids had taken her aside and instructed her in the ways of womanhood. She knew from their conversations that this feeling of liquid being dispersed was the main sign that you were about to give birth to your child.

Her eyes shot open as another lull in the pressure made itself known. They were wide and were rapidly looking around the room in a state of panic. Here she was, all alone and about to give birth. The idea hadn't seemed so formidable, but now that it was happening Belle wasn't so sure if she could go through with it. Her body seemed to not give a lick of caring though, for the contractions continued to come in waves and lasted longer and longer at time went on.

Outside, and not so very far away, two young women were making their way through the woods and in the direction of the cabin Belle was currently housed in. One was dressed in red and brown while the other was dressed in all white. Their laughter rang out through the trees as they talked about things past as well as events yet to come. Stepping through a particularly thick patch of naked trees and snow, they came upon a inviting looking cottage that just seemed to call out to them. Both of the woman seemed to become excited at the sight for they had spent the past few days looking for a place to take shelter from the winter storm, a place to call their own. Their mirth was short lived however, when a nasty scream exploded from the cabin walls and dispersed into the air. Thinking someone was in danger, both woman raced forward and tore open the door to the cabin. What they found was not someone in any danger, but Belle in the throes of giving birth.

The woman who was encased in red, threw back the hood of her cloak and stared wide-eyed at the sight before her. She knew the woman laid out upon the bed and her name was torn from her throat before she could even think about it. "Isabelle?!"

Belle, whose head had been thrown back in one of her agonizing howls of discomfort, quickly looked forward to gaze upon the people now standing in her doorway. Her response was laced with feelings of fear, weariness and pain.

"Red?"

If Belle could of looked at herself, she would of understood the look that coated Red's features. She looked nothing like Red remembered. Hair frazzled, sweat coating both her skin and nightgown and an air of motherhood radiating from every pore. The last time Belle had laid eyes on her friend, she had been injured and unconscious. Now here she stood, miles away from her village and obviously unfazed by the ordeal she had endured. Through the cloud of agony and panic, Belle could also see how Red carried herself differently. She was more confident and had a power about her that screamed predatory. She made a mental note to ask about all of it later. Belle had no idea who the other woman with her was, but at the point and time really didn't care.

Red looked like a fish out of water as she continued to stand in the doorway and mouth words that just wouldn't come. She finally got them out in a form of a obvious question. "Isabelle...are you? Are you giving birth?!"

One particular bad contraction decided to rank Belle's body at this time, causing her to throw her head back once again as she screamed. When her attention was able to be brought back to both Red and the mystery woman, a look of anger and annoyance shown brightly.

"No, I just enjoy laying in bed with my legs spread wide and screaming at the top of my lungs. Of course I'm giving birth! What does it look like?!"

A sense of urgency suddenly overtook Red at the confirmation of what she really already knew. "Okay, okay...uhh," looking toward the woman next to her, Red thought a quick introduction was in order before they got down to business, "Snow this is Isabelle, Isabelle this is Snow. Okay lets do this."

Running over to where Belle was laying, Red situated herself to where she could see between her friends legs and where the baby would soon be coming out. She then looked around and noticed an empty bucket sitting near the fireplace. She pointed to it and looked toward her friend Snow.

"Snow go down to that stream we passed and fill that up with water. Then I want you to put some into a bowl, and bring it over to the table next to the bed. I then want you to put the rest in a pot and heat it over the flames. Can you do that?"

Snow nodded her head in confirmation before running forward, swiping the pail up and racing out the door. She didn't need Red to tell her she needed to hurry. Back inside, Red was doing her best to reassure Belle as best she knew how. Minutes felt like hours, but Snow was finally back with the desired water and, as soon as she was through the door, went about doing exactly as Red had asked. Red then had her sit at the head of the bed with Belle and occasionally dab her sweaty face with the cool water. Before that though, Red asked Snow's help in maneuvering Belle into a more comfortable, reclining position.

As Snow was doing her part to lift Belle up and backwards onto the raised pillows, she looked down at Red and asked a most burning question that was on her mind. "Red, have you done this before?"

For a moment, Red paused in her work and thought briefly. "Well...no. But I have helped in delivering a baby calf and how much different can that be?"

If it was any other situation, Snow would of questioned Red's logic but, seeing as it wasn't, took that as a satisfactory answer and, after getting Belle situated, took her place at her side near the head of the bed. She also took one of Belle's hands into her own as a sign of comfort and to let her know she was there for her. Belle looked over at Snow and gave her a weak smile before another contraction sent her into a screaming fit. Red meanwhile, was flipping the end of Belle's nightgown up and over her knees so as to give her open access to aid in the delivery process.

"Alright Isabelle, I'm going to need you to start pushing alright?"

Belle looked down at her friend with a look of shock and disbelief on her face. "What?!"

Red looked Belle square in the face. "You want this baby out of you right? Well then you need to start pushing right now!"

Nodding her understanding, Belle began pushing with every start of her contractions and finishing at the end. Snow did her best to comfort Belle while Red did her best to coax Belle forward. The minutes ticked by as Belle did her best to dispel the being that was trying to make its way out of her. It felt like she was being torn in two as her lower extremities stretched to accommodate the baby. One intense pushing session in particular had Belle collapsing on top of the bed, seemingly overtaken by exhaustion and unable to continue on.

Red looked up from between Belle's legs. "Come on Isabelle, you can do this. I know you can do this."

Belle shook her head from side to side, fresh tears streaming down her tired and forlorn face. "No, I can't. I can't do this. It's too much."

Snow took the cloth she was holding and wiped away Belle's tears. She then took both her hands and squeezed the one hand that she was holding. "Isabelle, look at me," Snow watched as Belle slowly complied with her wishes, "Just a few more alright? Give just a few more strong pushes and then you can stop, I promise."

Snow then gave her a smile more sweet and beautiful than any flower freshly bloomed on a spring morning. For a moment, Belle simply just stared at Snow. Then, taking a shaky breath, Belle closed her eyes and quickly nodded before getting ready to began pushing once again. She had no idea how, but her strength and resolve had somehow been renewed. Somewhere down the line she heard Red yell something about being able to see the top of the head, but she couldn't concentrate on any of that. She had to focus on her breathing and the activity at hand, otherwise her energy would expire one again and no amount of encouragement or gentle smiles would renew it.

With one final push, Belle could feel as all the magic that had been inside her body expanded and be dispersed like a heavy sigh. Soon after, something like the voices of a thousand angels rang out. Belle couldn't help but smile as the cry of her and Rumpelstiltskin's daughter met her ears for the first time. She could also hear the laughter of both Red and Snow as they took in the little miracle before them. Snow then went and retrieved the pot holding the warm water and brought it over so her and Red could begin cleaning the newborn. Once they were finished, Red took Snow's dagger and detached the umbilical cord from the infant while Snow brought Belle's discarded cloak to be used to wrap the baby in. Red then delivered the newly covered child to Belle, placing the cooing angel into her out stretched arms.

Belle continued to smile as she looked down at her baby daughter. Just like in her dream, she had one eye blue, the old gold and Belle could only imagine that her hair would be the same color as her father's once she was older. Bringing one of her hands up to gently caress her baby's head, she giggled as the young one reached out her tiny hand and took a loose hold onto one of her mother's fingers. Both Red and Snow giggled with her as they watched on with a sense of pride and joy.

"So have you decided on a name?"

Belle reluctantly brought her attention away from her bundle to look up at her friend. Red's eyebrows were raised as she waited for an answer. Thinking back to her dream, Belle remembered how her mother had said their baby was a product of true love. Smiling, Belle looked back down at her daughter before she uttered the first name that came to mind

"Esmé."

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It took me FOREVER to get the birthing sequence down right. Basically spend a good amount of time drilling my mother for details about her pregnancy's and birth's lol! Apparently it's drastically different for each woman, something I didn't know. *learned something new*

Also, just for future reference, I know there are multiple ways to pronounce it, but for my fic Esmé is pronounced "ez-MAY". It also means "to love", which is why I chose it. I figured that, since Belle was coming up with it on the spot, giving her a name that coincides with a subject she had recently been talking about, true love, would work best. :)

Once again, thank soooo much for all your great reviews and comments. Really kept the creative juices flowing. Couldn't have done it without you. ^-^

Next up – Epilogue!

Oh and there WILL be a sequel to this :)


	12. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

For some time, Snow, Red, Belle and little Esmé were living together as one giant family. It may have been unconventional, but they were happy and that was all that mattered. After getting a letter from some guy named Charming however, Snow had declared her departure in saying she had found true love at last and was going to go claim it. Both Red and Belle had been sad to see her go but happy that their friend was about to obtain the one thing everyone in existence should possess. It was shortly after this that Red decided to leave as well, saying it was about time she went and patched things up with her grandmother.

Red had opened up to Belle about her family heritage and about how Granny had lied to her about everything from her parents to what she really was. She also told her of Peter's unfortunate death and how she had found her mother only to be cursed to loose her again. Belle had been overwhelmed by her friends tales, to say the least, but accepted everything without hesitation. Belle had also come clean, telling Red of her true name and why she had hid it from her in the first place. Red still lived with her from time to time, spending a few days when she stopped by with provisions or some new toy or outfit for the baby, but for the most part Belle and her daughter had the cottage all to themselves. It was lonely sometimes, yes, but it provided Belle with a chance to grow and stand on her own two feet just like she had wanted to.

Four years. It was hard to believe it had almost been four years since Belle had left the Dark Castle and started a life out on her own. Belle contemplated this continuously yet she was no closer in mentally accepting it than she was when it had only been a handful of months. It all seemed surreal to her, especially now that she was taking care of a toddler. It had taken some time, but Belle was soon able to fit herself perfectly into the role of mother and performed her duties quite gracefully.

From the feel and smell of the air around her, Belle could guess that it was about mid to late spring. She hummed a little tune to herself as she laid out one of the bedsheets on the clothesline that was situated out in front of the house. Currently, she was during a set of laundry while little Esmé was busy playing in the makeshift pen she had constructed for such occasions. It wasn't anything to severe or elaborate, just a little closed in area that allowed for a safe environment to play in as well as the ability to put motherly jitters to rest when Belle couldn't have her eyes on her baby twenty-four seven.

Speaking of her baby, it was just now dawning on Belle that Esmé had been uncharacteristicly quiet for a while now, which could only mean one of two things. Firstly, she was asleep. Or secondly, she was up to no good. Considering Esmé had just gotten up from her afternoon nap, the former was very much unlikely. Swiping the bedsheet she had hanging in front of her aside, Belle observed Esmé very much out of her little enclosure and sitting quietly in the grass, back turned away from her.

Esmé really was a beautiful little girl that was sure to grow up into an even more beautiful woman. Her hair was made of curls, just like her mothers, and when the sun would hit it just right it would soak up the sunlight, making her auburn hair that much more intense. Her skin was pale, almost sickly. It was countered though by the flecks of gold that were embedded into her skin, brought out more by the fact her skin **was** so pale. Her features were sharp, just like her fathers, and her eyes shown with just the same amount of mischief. She also like to use her magic just as much as her papa. Recently, she had discovered she had the ability to mess with the clock of age and just loved to turn it back and forth on herself. However, as her physical appearance would change, her mentality would stay to her true age. Currently she seemed to be obsessed with looking to be the age of nine.

Belle developed an irritated look on her face before she addressed her daughter. "Esmé! How many times do I have to tell you? Using your magic is bad!"

Esmé turned her head at the sound of her mother's voice and Belle watched as she merely smiled wide at her. She also let loose, what Belle labeled as, the trademark family giggle. Belle sighed and reluctantly went back to her work. She couldn't count how many times she had scolded and punished Esmé for using her magic and each time it seemed to do her no good. Belle was just thankful that she never used any of her magic when Snow had been around.

Esmé turned her head back around and brought her attention back to what she had been previously doing. She was rocking herself side to side as she intently focused on a group of butterflies that were fluttering nearby. She was mostly just admiring them, though she would occasionally change the color of one and quietly giggle to herself as she did so. Suddenly there was an upset in the air. Crows and other birds of prey began making their noises and flying high into the sky. Esmé's smile faded with the outcry and she developed a look of concern. She placed both of her hands on the ground and pushed herself up until she was in a standing position. She continued to stand there and stare, almost like she was in some sort of trance. Belle had felt a change in her daughter's behavior, so she walked around the laundry that was already up and hanging out to dry to see what was going on. It wasn't until she was out in front did she stop and take regard to her daughter.

"Esmé? What is it sweetheart?"

Esmé continued to stand perfectly still, though she lifted one arm and pointed off out into the woods. "uu!"

Being three years of age, Esmé should have been forming strong verbal sentences but, for one reason or another, she refused to do as such. No matter how hard Belle tried, Esmé just continued to make that sound as a form of communication. Belle sighed and began walking toward Esmé to see if she could figure out what she was pointing at. About halfway to her daughter however, Belle was forced into a state of panic. Her daughter had all of a sudden took off running in the direction she had been pointing without even the slightest care of how dangerous the woods could be for a child her age. Belle shouted after her, but Esmé paid her no heed as she kept running further and further into the forest.

Shortly, the trees and foliage of the wood began to thin and Esmé soon found herself standing atop a cliff that overlooked one of the many valley's of the realm. She had stopped running at this point, her blue and amber eyes transfixed on the horizon. Belle, who had instinctively run after her, pushed her way through the brush and came upon the still form of her daughter. Instead of yelling at her though, Belle once again asked her what was wrong. Aside from her magic, her daughter seemed to have a sixth sense as well. Belle had learned that when she did things like this is was wise to pay attention. She just wished she wouldn't pull stunts like the one she just had.

"uu-uu!"

Once again, Esmé was pointing straight ahead, only this time Belle could see exactly what she was pointing at. A large cloud of purple and black smoke was billowing over the mountains and across the valley in front of them. Bird and beast alike were seen fleeing this monstrosity, and Belle felt they should do the same, except she found herself frozen in place and unable to move. Esmé gripped the side of her mother's dress with both hands, a look of pure terror on her face. They both watched as the cloud of smoke cascaded throughout the valley below and then rise up to swallow them whole.

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To be continued...


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